Still Here
by RobinOfCoxly
Summary: Max goes home after his summer at Camp Camp. With good memories in his back pocket, his life comes to a screeching halt when he realizes his parents moved away...without him. Left behind, Max calls David and David is already on his way. David has a little more trouble than expected trying to bring Max in. /works/15225738/chapters/35314128
1. Chapter 1

The summer had been… tolerable, for the most part. Not one to admit his emotions, Max wouldn't dare say he had had fun. He would wilence his reluctance to go home, as well. Afterall, why complain if nothing could be done to change it? The days passed faster near the end of camp. Max grew more and more angry as the final day neared, knowing what he'd have to go back to. He fought with David nearly every time they saw one another, he distanced himself from Nikki and Neil. He always did this, knowing he wouldn't be able to see them a lot hurt even if he had their numbers. Unless their parents felt like driving to pick him up, Max didn't get a chance to hang out with them. His parents couldn't be bothered to get off the couch, let alone drive all the way out to their houses for him. They had school, but not much else.

Max trudged up to the apartment complex, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. This walk from the bus stop always seemed the longest. His third time home from camp, it felt like it dragged on longer than he was alive, feet scraping the pavement in a reluctant protest against the chilly air. Once he got to his building, the elevator was a welcome presence in contrast to the cold air outside while he walked. Floor number three, Max slumped against the wall as the elevator hummed to life and began rising. At least now he'd have a bed instead of a bunk. Well, a futon at least. Close enough. The elevator dinged, it's way of saying 'Get the fuck off'.

Max obliged, hefting his bag up onto his shoulder again and walking out into the hall. As he stepped onto the carpet, a man walked by with a trash bag and a pizza box in his hand. Pizza from Sleepy Peak. Max's steps faltered as he walked to his room.

Since David and Gwen had seen his file on parent's day, Max couldn't help but reconsider David. When it counted, at least he told Max how it was. And he was right about pretending. It sucked, and that's why Max tried to avoid it. He didn't hide his displeasure with things, nor any of his other feelings. If he had to be feeling them, other people would know exactly what was up. Sometimes, yeah, it got him into trouble, but it was better than biting his tongue and doing something he didn't want to do and pretending to smile through it. That night with the pizza was the first time he was really happy at camp, or had been for a long time.

The moment of thought passed him as the man turned the corner to dump his trash down the chute. Max turned about and resumed his path down the hallway. With a whump, his bag was discarded to the floor as he knocked on the wood a few times, hoping he wouldn't need to dig his key out from his bag.

"Anyone in there?" Max called, scowling at the door as he waited for a reply that didn't come.

With a sigh, he dropped to his knee to unzip his back and dig through his clothes to find his key. They were probably out with friends again, which meant he'd be home alone for most of the night. He wondered if they had even remembered today was the day he was coming back? Or maybe they had, and specifically left for the night for that reason. Either way, Max wasn't really surprised.

Frustrated he couldn't find the key in his bag, Max cursed and shifted it over to dig into the corner - his fingers just barely brushed the cold metal trinket. Grabbing it out of his tangled clothes, he stood up to unlock the door. The ground under his foot crinkled and he glanced down at the noise. A paper with big, fat, read words on it was stuck to his shoe, poking out under the door. After pulling it off, he found it read;

 **Empty- For Rent**

 _For information, see front desk. For Gisteck's Apartment Complex information and inquiries, please…._

Max scanned the page- not his room, right? Couldn't be. His parents were pretty loaded, unless they died they couldn't have been evicted. He dropped the paper back to the ground and lifted his key to the lock. It refused to turn. Something adjacent to panic bubbled in his belly. Not for his guardians, more for himself. If they were gone, where did that leave him? On the streets? At another orphanage? Maybe a Foster home? He'd seen four different state homes before he was ten, this was the longest time he'd spent with one set of parents, almost three years. Even if they couldn't care less, at least it had been somewhat stable. He could count on food, housing, internet. He knew they were only in it for the money; a whole $113 a day, who wouldn't be? And apparently, Max was pretty easy to tolerate.

According to his 'father', the first time they got into a screaming match and Max asked why they got him, he said "I thought you were mature enough to be seen, not heard,'. Petty as ever, Max stomped around the house, slammed doors, and banged things on counters from that moment on. He would be heard, like it or not. He skated by discipline, just toeing the line of his anger. Max knew when to make himself scarce for an hour or so. Aside from that, it was ok. Better than other places he had lived. Better than having his hair torn out of his skull or beatings till he bled. Max could live with being an annoyance.

He picked up his phone and dialed one of their numbers. After lifting it to his ear, it never rang. It gave a dial tone-'Sorry, but the number you are trying to reach does not exist,'

The second number gave no hope either.

He felt cornered in the hallway all of a sudden, like the walls roared to life and pushed towards him. What was he supposed to do? Yeah he'd been left at a foster home before, but at least then it was obvious what he was supposed to do. At least he knew where he was going. Now? He left half of his shit at home, even if it was a very small amount. With that, he had no means of getting anywhere, no money, no plan. And that lack of a plan settled panic in his gut that quickly festered to anger. How could they leave him? No note, no warning. Just left him on his ass.

Reeling his foot back, Max slammed the toe of his shoe against the door so hard that something rattled in the doorknob. Who could he go to? Did he even want to go to anyone? Why burden someone else with this drama?

Lifting his bag to his shoulder again, Max stalked back to the elevator, a scowl set deep on his face.

What now?

* * *

David tried hard to stifle his sniffling as he packed up his things. Gwen was across the room, sorting through magazines and clothes. Upon hearing David's series of pitiful sniffles, she rolled her eyes and turned to look at him.

"Are you still crying?" She sighed.

David gave a tearful whine,"They're _gone_ and- and they won't be back for a _year_ ," He blubbered, tugging the shirt he had in his hands closer to his chest.

"David, it's just a job. Just go home and relax for a few days, why don't you?" Standing to unpack her dresser, she shook her head.

"It's just a job to _you_ , but to _me,_ this… this is it," David whimpered quietly, wiping his eyes on the t-shirt.

A grimace crossed Gwen's face,"What is that supposed to mean?"

A thoughtful pause,"What am I supposed to do when I get home? Watch TV? Stare out the window?" He hugged himself,"I have nothing to do,"

Gwen huffed a breath to calm herself,"David I don't know what to tell you- I mean, if you love kids so much, why don't you adopt? I mean, I've seen your place, and it's plenty big enough." Gwen grumbled, reminded of her own 500- a-month apartment.

David's brow furrowed,"But it's just me… Aren't you supposed to be married?"

Gwen wasn't surprised he immediately accepted the idea of adoption and got into details,"Fuck, Davey I don't know. Look it up,"

Casting the co-counselor a glance, David began to wonder what it would be life to be a parent. He'd always wanted to have kids, but was he too young? Was there such a thing? Google might have answers.

Just as he reached for his phone on the dresser top, it began to buzz and light up. A phone call?

His lifted it up and saw the number was unknown. Never one to pass up a chance for a new friend, he answered.

As cheerful as he could muster, he greeted the unknown person,"Hello! This is David!"

" _Hey, it's Max_ ,"

David's cheery tone dropped and his stomach unsettled. Max hated him, as far as he knew. Why would he call him? Maybe he forgot something, and got his number off the camp directory. He hoped that was the case, because the tone in Max's voice was eerily calm and passive, and David didn't like it one bit.

"Max! What can I do ya for?" He asked, curious,"Forget something?"

" _No, dammit. I'm- fuck,"_ The line went silent aside from some fabric shuffling.

"Max? What's wrong? Hello?" David stood up and looked to Gwen as he wiped his nose, feeling a deep sense of dread clutch his lungs.

" _Look you're the first one in my phone that could really help me out here, don't fucking look into this,"_ A pause, rattled breathing," _My parents are fucking gone- they moved out,"_

David wanted to be more surprised than he was.

"Hang on, kiddo, let me check to make sure they didn't update their address!" David assured him, handing the phone quickly to Gwen as he went to mail and files to rummage through.

"Oh- er, Max- heya," Gwen sputtered, shooting David a look.

" _Yeah, yeah hey Gwen. What is he doing?_ "

"Looking through files… and… what's- what the fuck is going on, David?"

"Max says his parents moved out-"

Gwen's face flashed horror,"Oh, shit, Max… Look, Davey's gonna fix this, I'm sorry kiddo-"

" _Just… H-hurry him the fu-uck up god dammit,"_

"Max are- are you crying?"

David's eyes lifted, nothing in his eyes but unabashed sympathy and concern.

" _Don't- Fucking forget it. Stop looking,_ "

Gwen hurried,"Whoa, Max wait wait-"

The line clicked.

David went back to frantically searching files until he got to Max's, and the accompanying mail and updates. Two papers, his information from when he signed up, and a post it David put in there when he found out when Max's birthday was. No updates, no new address, no nothing.

"They left him, didn't they?"

Slowly, David nodded. He gripped the folder hard, glaring down at the near-barren page with enmity, as if the file itself had cast out such a wonderful kid. Who in their right mind could do that? To anyone, let alone Max? David scanned the address again, and threw the file back into the drawer. Gwen nearly jumped when he slammed it shut. It was rare to see David so upset. He put his hands on his hips, staring at the corner of the room as his foot tapped incessantly on the wood.

"I can't just leave him," David said decidedly, shaking his head.

Gwen offered him his phone back,"What can we do? We have no way of finding his parents,"

David's determined demeanor wavered,"I don't know… but at least I can be there," He glanced at Gwen,"Or 'we'?"

Gwen gave him a weary smile,"I'll drive, bud,"


	2. Chapter 2- Unwaivering

In august, the air always got chilly too fast. The wind swept leaves along the pale sidewalk, leaving Max with goosebumps on his arms. He had come outside to think up something after calling David. His eyes were red and bloodshot, he had scrubbed them free of tears a long time ago, now he just needed to think about how he could pass for fourteen to get a job. He didn't want to end up in the foster system again, not if he could help it. But that meant he needed money for food and somewhere to stay. Maybe a homeless shelter? Or would they just drag him to the police?

For now, he had the cash he had taken with him. Something like 400 dollars. He collected any money his parents gave him, change he could steal and trade for paper bills, anything he could get he saved. Even from in his older homes. He kept it hidden from prying eyes, incase anything ever went wrong. Peeking into his bag at his stuffed bear, he thought 'What else _could_ go wrong?'.

He tugged the zipper closed again. He finally managed to lose the only decent home he could get. As far as he knew, his real parents had dropped him him off on the side of a sheriff station and ran off. To this day, he had no idea who they were. Part of him hoped if he did find them, they would be the best parents in the whole world. But in reality, he knew they were either dead or better off without him somewhere. So, why bother looking in the first place?

Another breeze cut across the back of his neck, and Max tugged his hood up to cover his skin from the chilly assault. Well, it was obvious he couldn't stay here much longer. It was getting a little dark. Pretty soon streetlights would turn on, and soon after that he'd freeze for real. He'd been out here what, an hour? People might start noticing him if he stayed any longer too. Maybe he could break back into the building at night, at least sleep inside.

Standing up on the little stone wall where he'd been sitting, he picked up his bag and grimaced as it rubbed the sore spot from carrying it so long. Grumbling, he started to scan the building to see where his room would be.

" _Max!_ "

Nearly jumping out of his skin, Max spun around and saw David across the street. What- _David?_ Yes, that's him alright. No one else would dare be seen wearing that shade of puke green.

Max watched as he barely glanced either way on the street before speeding over, a chorus of horns protesting his mad dash. Max eased off the wall, staring at him in blatant surprise. He barely had one leg off the wall when David smashed into him.

The thud of his bag hitting the ground sounded muffled against the fabric of David's shirt. Max could hear nothing but his own heart, thumping away in his throat. He couldn't fucking believe he came. He actually _showed up_. Drove an hour up here just for him. _Why_? Even as he questioned, the warmth David offered in the hug felt overwhelmingly inviting after the frigid fall air. Max felt disgusted in himself and shoved David back, taking a few steps away, visibly uncomfortable for letting himself get wrapped up in the intimacy of the gesture

"What are you doing here?" Max grumbled, glancing behind him to see Gwen just crossing the street.

David smiled despite his tone,"I'm glad you called, Max,"

The kid's ears burned shamefully,"Shut up, I called the first name in my contacts."

David's smile did not fail,"Okay. So where are we taking you, Max?" He asked cheerfully, hoping to bring up the sour mood.

Max stared at him,"You're kidding right?"

David frowned,"Of course not! We'll take you anywhere?"

Max scowled,"You'd have more luck dropping me in the fucking bermuda triangle than with family," He shifted his bag and leaned against the little wall.

Gwen overheard the last bit and tilted her head at the kid, flipping up the collar on her jacket,"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean I'm _alone_ , numbskull," Max spat,"I don't know my parents, and the ones that just left never brought over anyone who gave a damn about me,"

David glanced at Gwen even as he tried to remain positive,"W-well we can still get you out of the cold!"

Max watched him, apprehensive,"And go where..?"

"Er…" David drew a blank,"I…"

Max glared at the sidewalk,"That's what I thought. Just get the fuck out of my face,"

"Wait- where will you go?" David asked, concerned as he grabbed Max's shoulder.

Max shot him a scowl,"Does it matter? I'm out of your fucking hair. You wasted all that gas for _nothing_ ," He snarled, yanking away from the touch.

In truth, everything felt clearer when David came. Max couldn't deny that to himself. But even so, right now David had no idea what to do and that meant he'd end up taking Max to a foster home. It the only thing he _could_ do. Which meant Max was on his own, and he'd wasted good time figuring out how to break in. He just had to find a way up and-

"Hey, Max!"

Rolling his eyes, Max turned to fix David with a seething look," _What,_ David?"

David's cautious smile didn't fall,"What if you spent the night back at camp?"

Max's anger wilted slightly. He glanced back up at the building he was considering breaking into, and considered his options. He could leave with David, guaranteed a bed, a warm place to sleep, and food, or risk running in with the police by breaking in somewhere where the heat and AC were locked up. Plus, no food, unless he walked a block down the way to get McDonalds with his wad of cash. But, in truth, if he did go with David… he'd just be putting more burden on him. He was too happy-go-lucky to have to put up with Max anymore than needed to. But he had offered…

"Max?" David chipped in quietly- apparently Max had been standing there a while.

Max looked up at him for a split second, searching his expression,"Don't you still have to pack up your shit and get out of there? Who wants to go _back_ to that shithole?" He spat, staring down at the sidewalk despite his hateful tone.

David sighed,"Please, Max. I would really prefer you came back to camp until we figure this out," He insisted,"I want you to be safe, and out of the cold,"

Max reeled for a moment at his words. Safe, huh?

He twisted the toe of his shoe against the sidewalk," _If_ I go back," He started,"What happens after that?"

David was drawing another blank, and Max was more than ready to walk away and go to his little sky-scaling stunt, but it appeared Davey had other plans,"I won't lie, I don't know what happens next. But I'm gonna call my lawyer and look up some stuff to see how to make sure things turn out okay," He offered another one of his I-can-make-it smiles, hoping Max could see he meant what he said,"I promise, this will all turn out okay!"

Max was still hesitant, despite his convincing,"I don't want to go back into the fucking system, got that?"

Gwen grimaced at that statement, glancing at David as he opened his mouth,"No- Davey, you can't promise that. We have no idea what to do right now,"

David was reluctant, but he nodded,"Fair enough. Then I promise I'll look for every route we can possibly go to avoid the 'system', okay?"

Max knew that meant the possibility of ending up back in a home, but if it came to that he could just grab Honeynuts and run. Could it really be that bad if he went and stayed a few nights?

Fighting hard with himself, Max finally grit out,"Fine," And once again adjusted his bag as he stalked towards David.

David smiled widely,"Wonderful! Let's go then!" He cheered, waiting for Max to step towards the road's edge before following Gwen and him in the back.

Gwen clicked the button to unlock the car as they neared it, her hands tucked into her pockets with a slightly- soured expression on her face,"You guys are gonna turn me into a popsicle," She mumbled, climbing inside the beaten up vehicle.

Max was hit with a wave of exhaustion as the heat in the car washed over him. After being in the cold, emotions running higher than he wanted, and dealing with the stress of future events, Max was glad to just sit in the car. Gwen turned the radio down low enough to listen, but the hum of the car could be heard just as easily as it worked to carry its own weight on the road.

He watched David in his seat, just catching the glimpse of the bright light from his phone on his face. Leaning forward slowly, he squinted at the screen.

'Abandoned Children Process?'

Max scowled, and leaned forward sharply, snatching the phone from David's hand.

"Hey- Max! Give that back, please!" David scolded him, turning in his seat.

"Fuck off, it's about me anyways," Max huffed, scrolling through the search results.

 _Abuse- Signs and Longterm Effects…_

 _Neglected Children- Legal Limit and…_

 _Abandoned Children FAQ, What to…_

 _Adoption from Abandoned..._

 _What Does it Mean When A Child…._

Max stopped short at the Adoption bit. You could adopt kids off the street? Just like that? Jeez, what if some other weirdo had found him and took him home? Where would he end up then? That didn't seem quite right.

Just as he tapped the link to load it, the tagline up top read "Adoption- Is it right for you?".

David tugged the phone free from his hands and Max swore,"Hey, fuckface give it back!" He sat up in his seat.

"Language, Max," David chided, fixing him with a stern stare.

Max scowled in return,"Fuck your language, let me see what you're reading!" He demanded.

" _Shut the fuck up_!" Gwen barked,"Both of you idiots, before I stop the car and make you walk!"

"Ah… Sorry, Gwen," David withered in his seat, looking timid in the face of Gwen's annoyance.

"Whatever," Max huffed, reminded quickly that his own phone was at only 50% and he needed to save battery life if things went downhill.

The car was quiet after that, but Max felt anxious about what tomorrow would bring. As he stared out the window, the streetlights finally kicked on. He wondered if David would really try to keep him out of the foster system. It seemed the easiest way to go, though. Just get rid of him and not have to deal with him. Right now, Max was most worried about how much David was getting off on this.

He drove all the way down there to throw Max some fucking pity party, and like the good samaritan he was, offered him home and food… and Max agreed. Maybe he shouldn't have, David was basically fueled by good deeds and all that shit, at this point be was probably ecstatic that Max agreed to go along. The boy pointedly sulked in his seat, watching the cars wizz by the window.

 _Adoption- Is It Right For You?_

Max grit his teeth.

No, he thought, it's _not_ right for me.

* * *

It turns out, Max was more tired than he thought. His heavy eyelids drooped too low for too long once, and he was gone into dreamland. He slept for most of the drive, barely stirring on the way there.

David was happy Max was even in the car, but knowing he was safe enough to sleep made David even more unbearable to an incredibly tired Gwen.

"He's so sweet when he sleeps," David cooed, an expression of absolute adoration on his face as he looked back at the sleeping boy.

Gwen grimaced,"Kinda creepy, Davey,"

David blushed,"Oh, sorry. Got carried away," he hummed,"But now that he's sleeping…"

"Oh, right. What was it you wanted to show me?" Gwen asked, staring ahead at the long road.

"Max clicked on an article when he got my phone…" David started, voice soft as he sifted through tabs,"It was… er… Oh! Here- Adoption from Abandoned?"

Gwen nearly choked on her own spit, eyes wide as she glanced sharply back at Max, still asleep,"Wait, wait, _what?_ " she hissed in a whisper.

David smiled unabashedly,"You told me earlier, Gwen! I could help ease out of the camp! Maybe it's a sign! It could be good,"

Gwen pointedly shook her head,"No, David, _no_ ,"

David watched her expression,"Why?"

Gwen huffed,"His parents _just_ left him! He's in a bad spot, he's probably a fucking mess even if he's hiding it! You can't handle him!"

David frowned,"I… I thought I knew him well, I thought we had bonded some over summer…"

"Yeah, _some,_ " Gwen agreed,"But not enough to be his _dad_! Give the poor kid a chance for something decent, would ya?"

"D...decent…?" David repeated softly.

Gwen glanced over to him, realizing what she'd said,"Oh, no Davey I didn't mean that I just…." A sigh,"You're awfully sweet on Max and I get that, but Max has _issues_. I wouldn't be surprised if someone had beat up on him in the past, abused the poor little shit,"

David gasped quietly," _What_? What makes you-?"

"Davey, he's awfully mature for his age… one thing that is sure to mature a kid that fast? Fear. He hates being touched, he hates doing what he's told, he can't trust a fucking mirror for god's sakes," Gwen explained,"He needs things you might not be strong enough to handle. I… fuck it sucks but I wouldn't be surprised if he was depressed, maybe suicidal,"

David paled from her words, phone clutched tight in his hands as he listened,"Wouldn't… wouldn't that mean I should be there for him? To help?"

Gwen sighed,"Be there, yeah. But you can't be his parent," She looked at him sadly,"He'd tear you up, Davey,"

David looked away, and the car washed in an uncomfortable silence,"Someone… with training should be there, then?"

Gwen nodded,"As his counsellor, Im pretty sure you could put in your two cents about who adopts him though,"

David nodded, perking up just a touch,"Yeah… yeah, you're right,"

Meanwhile, Max's eyes, still half open, stared at the carpet in the car.

Issues, huh?

Tear him apart?

Max wrung his hands together in his pockets, not quite thinking but his mind was far from quiet.


	3. Chapter 3- Shove You Away

As it turns out, adopting an abandoned child is really similar to taking ownership of an abandoned car. After a little research, Max wasn't sure if that fact put him at ease or made his heart rush too fast to feel anymore. Basically, confirm the car had been abandoned, call the owner to make sure they had left it and didn't want it, check the records, then get the title and legal whatever. Max, being the car, pondered the many paths this could go down.

He slept on David's bed that night, and he could see the barely-lit lump of David's sleeping form on the floor. A part of him felt bad for taking the bed, but David was quick to offer, snagging extra blankets and pillows out of a closet and setting up a bed for himself. Said he needed to stretch out his back, anyways. Max didn't believe him.

As the clock ticked by, Max struggled to fall back to sleep. He'd managed to pass out for a few hours but woke up with a nightmare and never quite calmed all the way down. He wanted to, he could feel his eyes drooping, his body aching and tired, but he couldn't get his head to stop. He couldn't stop thinking about what he'd heard, what he'd read. He finally got a charger and wasn't worried about battery life, so he looked into that article again, hence the comparison between himself and a car.

Path one was pretty simple- he ran away, took his shit and whatever he could fit in his bag and bolted. Maybe end up lost, maybe no food, but he wouldn't be with anymore awful people. He could die knowing he had chosen to, at least.

Path two? A little more complex. Stay with David and Gwen and go wherever they took him, and pray to god David found a way to keep him out of the system. If he did end up back there, it could be years before he ever saw a home again. With his record? He would be labelled as special needs, told he was aggressive, cast aside under the shy kids and the little toddlers. He might spend the rest of his life in that place.

Path Three, up until now, had not existed; Go home with David.

Max spent the most time on path three, considering, plotting, wondering if it could even work. If he _wanted_ it to work. Why would he impose himself on David if he knew that the guy was only doing it to be the good samaritan like always. Eventually, the schtick would get old, Max would get unbearable and annoying, and David would send him back...No. No, he wouldn't send him back. But he would be miserable. Something like that could _really_ break David. That sounded fun and all, but if Max broke him, he'd still be stuck living with him. If he turned David into another screaming match, where would that leave him?

Max grit his teeth as he thought; even if he hated admitting it, David was the one adult he felt he could kinda trust. So far, he couldn't find any ulterior motives. Fuck, the guy had basically shoved him into a nice bed and opted to take the floor without even being asked. Max used to think he was such a good guy to try and impress Gwen. As it turns out, David wasn't making any moves… ever. He really was just friends with Gwen, and that left no reason for him to be so fucking happy other than wanting to be happy. And of course, spread his little shitstorm of cheery bullshit. So, Max was stumped. He was at a critical moment in deciding the rest of his life- and however short he chose to make it- and he had no way of knowing which path was right.

At the moment, path three seemed sketchy as fuck. First of all, David would have to actually agree to adopt him, and with Gwen on his shoulder he didn't think that was really gonna happen. She was right, in some ways. Max could be awful, he could absolutely break David if he wanted, but he wasn't even sure if that's what he wanted now. The fact that Gwen had pegged him so easily infuriated him- was he really that obvious? Or just textbook? Psychology was one of her useless degrees, maybe Max was a character jumped straight out of an abused definition. If that was the case, he had more to think about as far as choices than just where he'd be laying his head at night.

Back on track to the sketchy plan, if Max took the chance to let David adopt him, what if he was denied? Then the care system knew about him and they would shove him into a home regardless. Max rolled over on the mattress, still thinking over his options, shutting off his phone and looking at David on the floor.

Without the dopey grin on his face, David looked like any other guy. He wasn't the strongest dude on the planet, no, and probably had never benched anything in his life, but after all the camp stuff, he was still in shape obviously. He was young-probably why he still thought this fucking camp was a good career choice- David know exactly how old he was but he couldn't be older than thirty. Would they even consider him for adoption at that age? He had his whole life ahead of him.

Path one was feeling more and more like the only decent option, as he thought it over. It spared him the worrying about who he'd end up with, it gave him a freedom he wouldn't really get anywhere else. It might suck, but he could deal with it. He'd handled worse.

Max set to it. Quietly shifting the covers back and pulling his bag out from under the bed. His phone was at 100%, so that was a plus. His feet made no sound as he touched onto the ground, putting his sweatshirt back on over his head. Silence was a skill he'd learned well early on. His socks swept along the wood floor with no noise, so he lifted his shoes and decided to put them on when he got outside. If he was being truthful, he would miss the camp. He would miss Nikki and Neil, too. They were kinda fun to hang out with. He remenised as he walked along the room, edging towards the door. When he turned the doorknob, it creaked, and he winced to glance back at David on the floor.

Squinting at the figure, he couldn't quite find where David was sleeping in the mass of blankets. He blinked a few times, but still saw nothing but the white and blue sheets. Where the fuck-

The door opened behind him, and Max jumped hard, spinning around to face whoever had opened it. David!

The man looked startled, to say the least, and gasped loudly upon seeing Max there,"Max! Jiminy Christmas, kiddo you scared me!" David squeaked, covering his mouth.

His gaze turned down to Max's sweatshirt and bag, and he frowned.

"David-" Max started, knowing the older man had him figured out.

What he said was actually surprising.

"Please don't do this," David whispered, his expression was lit only by the lady-bug night light in the corner, and it was painfully open and distressed,"Max, I know I can't stop you from doing it if that's what you have your heart set on, but _please…_ ," His voice dropped a little lower," _Please_ don't do what you're about to do,"

"Why not," Max spat in return, angry he felt guilt for trying to leave and help David in the long run.

David knelt in front of him,"It's always gonna be the same answer," He assured him,"I want you to be safe. And it kills me that I don't know how to help," Max wanted so badly to look away from that pained gaze,"But I want to try,"

Max strained to hold his eye, frantic to think of something sharp to say in return. Fuck David and his bleeding heart bullshit. He was too damn honest sometimes, and it left Max sputtering for a snarky quip. Right now, however, he couldn't pull it off. He blanked.

"Can you let me try, Max?"

Max stared at him, expression flickering between frustration and confusion. _Fuck_ it was so hard not to just shove him out of the way and run. He was being so… so _calm_! Anyone else would have told him to go to bed, or else. Asked 'Where do you plan to go? You'll die on your own, don't be stupid' and shooed him away. But David was just here, _asking_ Max if it was okay to try and help.

"Yes," Max finally blurted, not knowing what else to say, if anything.

David smiled, and something warm bubbled in Max's chest,"Thank you," He hummed,"Can you not sleep? Is that why you were up?"

Max blinked a few times, catching up with the change of subject,"I- yeah, that blanket is fucking itchy," He lied, trying to come up with an excuse for being awake aside from 'I was thinking about whether it was shittier to be your kid or die in the woods'.

David's smile only grew as he stood up,"Well, how about we get Gwen some coffee and we can have doughnuts down the road? How's that sound?"

Max scowled at his chipper tone so early,"Yeah whatever,"

Leaving Max still reeling at his own speechlessness, David turned and went to start the car.

Fuck.

* * *

The drive over to the cafe was quiet aside from the turned down music. Max stared out the window, twisting his seatbelt around his fingers. It may have been early- according to the clock, it was around 5 am- but David was happy as ever, humming to the soft melody on the radio. Max was too tired to fight with him on the station, too tired to make any bad quips. He was just… really, really tired.

When they finally got there, David lead Max inside. He let him order whatever he wanted, and got a cup for himself as well as a dozen donuts to split between all of them. Max cozied up to a little corner boothe as he waited for David to come sit, pressing a hand against the cold glass cutting him off from the outside. It was definitely fall, the bite in the air confirmed that everytime Max walked outside. Personally, he loved the rain. The white noise put him to sleep, and it made him feel calm. Because of this, he was the closest to happy when fall came around.

Eventually, David made it to the table with both coffees and the donut box. He offered one steaming cup to Max with a smile.

"Maybe after a good cup of coffee, it can be considered a good morning?" David hummed in his usually optimistic hopefulness.

Max grunted behind his mug, and swallowed before he fixed him with a cold stare,"No morning is good at 5 in the fucking morning, David,"

David sulked a bit,"Well, we'll see," He insisted.

Max rolled his eyes and wrapped his hands around the mug, relishing the warmth it brought to his icy fingertips.

"So," David mused, interrupting what could be a very peaceful morning,"How… Now, I don't mean to pry, but if I might- if you're comfortable with it- ask about something?" The rambling words irritated Max, and the boy turned to fix him with a look of annoyance.

"Spit it out, or shut the fuck up," Max grumbled, taking another sip of coffee.

"Right." David shifted slightly,"How was home life, these last few years?"

Max stiffened, nails bending as he gripped the ceramic mug hard,"Why?"

David hesitated,"I just wanted to ask," his tone was quiet, cautious.

"It sucked," Max bit out,"What do you expect me to say to that, David?" He wanted to be angrier, but right now he was too tired and honest to god drained in every way.

David shrank slightly,"Sorry, Max," He murmured, and paused to think before opening his mouth again,"This may seem a little silly, but… did the camp help at all?"

Max did consider that question, knowing the answer as soon as it left the counsellors mouth, but not quite sure if it was the answer he could give to the man. Yes, in a lot of ways, it helped immensely. No, Max wouldn't show it, and no, Max would never be _excited_ to go back there if he had any better options, but even so… Camp Campbell had taken him to a place where people genuinely cared if he was okay, if he would be somewhere, what he felt like doing. It was nice, and he felt a little safer everyday he spent there. How this answer would make David feel was yet to be determined, and Max wasn't sure if he should even dignify it with a definitive answer.

And yet, David's eager and unwavering hopeful patience made him open his mouth.

He muttered,"It was better than home,"

David had a mixed reaction to that answer, not speaking it verbally, but his shifting let Max know how he was feeling. How comfortable could you be when asking a kid how bad his beatings were?

"How was it better?" David inquired softly.

Max scowled at the table, and grit his teeth through his answer,"It was nice to know I had something to fucking eat,"

David startled slightly,"O-Oh… I didn't realize-"

"Yeah, no one fucking does. Why do you think I was there for three god damn years? Dumbass," Max's voice was cold as he spoke, and he didn't look at David.

David watched him, rubbing his thumb against his cup slowly as he processed this. Max had always been thin, but he wondered if it was his own genes or some outside influence. His stomach had coiled into a thick knot as he got the answers to his questions. It was nice for Max to open up a little, but David loathed that it had to be about this. He wanted to think Gwen was wrong, but it turns out she was spot on. Max was living the long-term effects of many types of abuse. David wondered if she had been right about handling him too. If David couldn't, would it be up to him to find someone who could?

"Max," David smiled sheepishly with the look Max shot him,"How do you feel about the idea of adoption?"

"Is there anywhere else for me to go?" Max snapped defensively, pulling the cup back towards him and leaning into the steam.

David frowned,"What kind of home would you like to be in?"

Max rolled his eyes,"The kind with a roof,"

Frowning, the counsellor tapped his thumb against his cup again,"Max…"

Max refused to lift his eyes from the window, and he paused before answering,"If… if we're getting all boring and serious," He sighed near-silently,"I guess… a bed would be nice. And no moldy stuff everywhere,"

The knot in David's stomach doubled it's tangling wave of fear,"A… A bed? You didn't have one?" He whispered, appalled.

Max glared at him,"No. I had a mattress for the last few years, and before that I was lucky to get a fuckin' pillow and blankets," He hissed at the older man.

David jumped _hard_ when Max slammed his coffee on the table,"Fuck this pity-party shit. So much for a good morning," He snarled as he stood from the booth and stormed away.

"Max- _Max_!" David called after him, scrambling to get into his wallet and leave a tip before rushing out.

Max kicked gravel across the parking lot as he left the cafe, feeling little effects of the coffee, and every effect of an overdose of David. He stopped by the car, crossing his arms and leaning back against the cold metal. Fuck this whole thing, the last thing he needed was David doting on him like a beaten up puppy. He hated that, the sad looks, and the quiet consolations. Max was _fine_. He was okay, it wasn't like he hadn't been expecting it. He was a piece of shit, he deserved to be left. But he was _fine_ , totally fine. Really, he was.

So when his chin resembled a strawberry, Max wanted to punch himself. He turned away from the cafe and covered his face.

"Max!" David's voice was calling from the door, and Max struggled to calm down before his quick steps reached him,"Oh, Max, I'm sorry,"

David reached up to set the box on the roof of the car, hoping to have his hands free for their conversation. Reaching out to touch Max's shoulder, David was quick to recoil when Max swing out at him, jumping with his back against the car, and a hateful scowl on his face.

" _Fuck_ your sorries! Can't you just leave me _alone_ ," Max said nastilly.

David shook his head,"No, and I _won't_ ," he swore,"You have it wrong, kiddo. I don't pity you, I never have,"

Max still swiped at his eyed angrily while tears still pooled, despite his attempts to calm down and get over it. He couldn't hold David's gaze and looked past his head, eyes darting around anywhere else.

"I think you're absolutely _wonderful_ ," David said, and every word was spoken with a bare-faced sincerity that Max had only ever gotten from the counsellor,"You don't deserve pity, Max. You deserve to be happy, and pity isn't going to get you that,"

Max's jaw hurt from gritting his teeth together, trying like mad not to break down. He _hated_ crying, he hated doing it in front of anyone, and David was no exception. He hated that David was saying the things he was, hated that he questioned if he was being honest, and downright loathed that it was making the lump in his throat so much worse.

"You deserve so much than you've gotten," David said quietly,"You deserve so much love and praise and I know it's still a sore spot but I want to tell you I'm… I'm absolutely _honored_ , Max, that you told me what you did," His voice was full of amazement, as if Max had said something so profound it was priceless,"I know it was hard,"

Max wanted to give in. A little voice in his head slammed against the glass case and screamed for him to get the hug he desperately wanted. But every instinct he had said David was lying, this was a trick, a trap. David was just doing this to make him feel better and feed his own ego. Well, not today. Not a fucking chance. Max wasn't that easy, he wouldn't be encased in this guilt trip bullshit again. The voice in the glass case still howled for him to shut his mouth as he spoke.

"It wasn't that hard for Gwen to figure me out and label me a problem child," Max's voice was hateful even as a tear streaked down his dark skin,"She's fucking right and you know it. Don't bullshit me,"

David's surprised expression confirmed for Max that he had assumed the boy hadn't heard. Max sneered at him and shoved him aside to get in the car. That was that.

"Max, no, Gwen didn't-"

"Gwen meant what she fucking said and it's _true_ ," Max snarled,"I'm not your kid, I'm not your problem. Let someone else fucking deal with me,"

David sputtered for a few moments as Max scuffed the gravel to the other side of the car.

As Max opened his door and climbed in, David yanked the door open and looked at him, every detail on his face absolutely serious when he asked,"What if you _were_ my kid?"

I would destroy you, Max thought instantly. David wasn't taking no for an answer. He wanted this, for whatever reason Max didn't know. But Max needed this out of his head. After today, he knew David couldn't take him home and expect to survive. He needed this to end. And suddenly, his answer came. A dark, twisted play, but a game-ending one. This was the last time he would be this close to breaking.

No more.

"You can't fucking _save_ me, David," Max snarled,"You can't turn me into a goddamn band aid for what you _fucked up_ with _Jasper_ ,"

Immediately, David's expression twisted to something like horror. Max pushed further.

"You don't fucking _want me_ ," Max shot up in his seat, anger spilling over,"You want a kid, you want to not feel _guilty_. Well guess what, he's _dead_ and you're not getting a second chance. You blew it," Max watched his entire body change moods as he continued," Leave me the fuck out of your karma, David! I'm not a god damn charity case, and you're not gonna adopt me to fix your conscience,"

David stared at the boy, his face displaying the pain Max's words had left him with. He tapped the driver's seat headrest with his thumb a few times as he processed, but ultimately stood up to get the doughnuts off the top of the car. While he stood, Max knew he was trying to cope with what he'd just spat. Maybe he'd taken it too far, but he knew David couldn't possibly hope to handle him after such an outburst. Max was done with the conversation, and he knew it would be the last he heard about it from David, too. Gwen was right, and Max had absolutely just proved it.

Finally, David sunk into the seat and slowly put the doughnuts into the backseat, avoiding Max's eye contact as he silently started the car. There was no question that David was hurting.

The drive home was dead quiet, and part of Max wished he could hear David's quiet hum to the cheerful chorus of a song.


	4. Chapter 4- Coping with the Truth

.

"You were right,"

Gwen sipped at her red and blue slurpy as she waited for the gas to pump into the car,"Mm?"

David sat in the driver's seat, hands folded in his lap as he glanced towards the gas station in case Max came back,"About Max. I don't think I could take care of him,"

Gwen squinted, confusion clear on her face as she turned to look at David, popping the straw out of her mouth,"And how did you find this out?"

Reluctantly, David recounted the morning's argument. Gwen listened in seething silence, nails threatening to pop the styrofoam cup in her hands as she gripped it angrily.

"I'm gonna kill him," She hissed, unhooking the gas pump without much grace and shoving it back into the nozzle.

David gasped,"No, no! Just… I thought you would want to know you were right," David said quietly, rubbing his arm,"There's no need to cause a scene,"

Gwen scowled, tapping her foot,"I just… _eugh!_ That little _brat_ ," She snarled.

David winced,"Should I have kept it to myself?"

Gwen shook her head,"No. No, you should have told me,"

David nodded but said little else, glancing at the store again.

"Did you talk to him about it?" Gwen was still fuming, wondering how the _fuck_ David hadn't lost it on him.

David shrugged,"I...I said…"

 _David slowed the car in front of the flagpole, shutting off the car and gathering up enough energy to speak just enough. He reached over and touched Max's arm before he could leave the car, receiving a disgusted scowl from the kid as he jerked away._

 _David winced, but continued,"I understand that… that you're up-set," David's voice broke and he pressed his knuckles against his mouth as he breathed,"And I know th-at I...I was nosy and out o-of line," David was struggling to hold it, pushing a strained breath out through his nose,"So I'm- I'm sorry,"_

" _Good, I don't know where you got the dumbass idea to-"_

" _I wasn't_ _ **done**_ _, Max," David's voice was louder, commanding, even as he struggled to keep it together in the face of the conversation-lucky for him, his message went through clearly-,"I don't like what you said, I don't like that you said it… And I really…" Another slow breath before he whispered,"...I wish you didn't feel… that way,"_

 _There was quiet for a moment._

 _Max finally started moving, grabbing the donuts from the backseat as he opened the door,"And I wish I didn't know what a fucking broken rib feels like," he said in a low tone,"Life sucks, move the fuck on,"_

 _The door slammed, and David clapped a hand over his mouth as his face crumpled._

"I said I… didn't like what he said," David said quietly,"And I wish he didn't feel that way,"

Gwen frowned, tugging her card from the machine and pulling the straw back to her lips for a drink,"I'm honest to god lost for words," She admitted,"Or at least lost for words you would approve of," She glanced at him and he gave a tearful chuckle.

Gwen sighed and, in response to his crestfallen look in the distance, opened her arms for him,"C'mere, this has to suck,"

David looked up at her and his expression twisted all over again, getting up and gratefully accepting a hug as he tears stung his eyes again,"Thank you,"

"Thanks for what?" Gwen grumbled,"You won't let me do anything to that little shit,"

David managed a watery chuckle,"Just for helping me,"

Gwen patted his back with her free hand,"Anytime, bud,"

When David tugged away, he rubbed his eyes and wiped his face on the inside of his jacket, sniffling a few times before climbing back into the drivers side again. As Gwen got into the other seat, Max finally emerged from the gas station doors. He made his way over, and tossed something in the David's window as he passed to get into the backseat.

"They had free trail mix," Max offered quietly, and clicked his seatbelt into place,"Some fuckin' over stock or something,"

David stared at the little pack in his hands, listening, and eventually put it in the glovebox,"Language, please,"

That was it. David turned on the radio to cut the silence, and pulled away from the pump.

The ride was quiet outside of the radio, and they got up to a few minutes away- considering they started the drive at 7 and it was now almost ten- before Max piped up again.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

Gwen's voice overran Davids, spite evidence in her tone," _David_ spent a lot of time looking into good foster homes. He couldn't settle for any in Sleepy peak, so we had to run out of state,"Gwen explained coldly.

David swallowed thickly, shifting his hands on the wheel as he turned a corner,"We're almost there,"

* * *

Now, apparently, they played the waiting game. Max gave them the numbers, answered the questions, told them that yes he knew David and he wasn't a Pedo. They told Max he would need to wait at the facility until they got ahold of his parents and straightened things out. Basically, they would be calling and contacting the parents however they could for two days or until they answered, until they got an affirmative answer as far as whether or not they wanted Max.

Meanwhile, Max felt something heavy on his shoulders as they waited. David had barely spoken to him- or spoken at all, for that matter- since the incident this morning. Max had figured David would give up trying to be _his_ parents, not being one in general. But this was it, Max was gonna be stuck here for god knows how long, David had basically given up on him.

That…

Yeah, that hurt.

Max sunk in his seat on the bed, boiling beneath the surface as he thought that over. David gave up. You _broke_ him. David, happy-camper, too excited for everything, always-try-even-when-I-fail David had _given up_. On Max. How shitty did he really have to be to bring them to that moment? And why did he fucking _care_. Three months ago, Max wouldn't even consider the possibility that David existed so pleasantly without medication. Now, he...now… Max didn't know. He knew he didn't like the way David was behaving. Even the smile at the counter was forced.

When Max first got to camp, yeah he hated David. He hated the whole damn place. Not because he prefered his house, but at least there he could go where he wanted, eat what he wanted if he took the money from his savings. There, nobody gave a shit and he knew it. At camp, he couldn't tell if David cared because he 'assumed' his parents did, or was genuine about the concern. Of course, now he knew better, but still.

David said he'd be in to see Max after they finished asking him questions about what happened, and he was true to his word. Max looked up as the door opened, and David stepped into view, that sad fucking look still on his face. Max hated it, he hated it more than when David had that stupid grin. At least then, it was easy to get him flustered, trick him, do whatever else. It was fun for Max, but this… Max hated this with everything he had.

"They said it could be two days," David said quietly.

"I know, they tell me shit too," Max snapped.

David's eyes dropped and he took a seat in the corner, hands wringing together.

Max stared at him, trying hard to keep his mouth shut. _He_ had done this to him. Tore him up so bad he didn't even want to smile. That didn't feel good at all. He'd taken it too far, way too far, and now the question of whether he could take it back or not was driving him insane.

"Hey… David?" Max started.

David shook his head,"Don't. Don't- Max, not today, please,"

"No! I-," Max struggled, knowing David thought he was gonna try to joke around,"I just...I wanted to say-"

"Don't say it," David said, clearly,"You don't need to,"

Max stared at him, confused. He didn't need to? It sure as fuck felt like he needed to. Just an apology might not fix this, but it was a start, wasn't it? Isn't that how this usually went?

The dry laugh that came from David was, in a way, kinda scary,"I just, _wow_ , you were right,"

 _What?_

"I am… not good at this, obviously," He stated, a look of confusion on his face, as if he were thinking of what to say,"I tried, for so long, to help you. I know it was stupid, you don't _want_ to be helped, why bother? But I just," He huffed a shaky sigh,"I saw… so much of myself in you,"

Max gripped the sheets under his hands, unable to do anything but listen to him.

"I hated _everything_ about that camp," David had a painful smile on his face,"I hated the people, Campbell, the other campers. It was all this big _happy-fest_ and I just wanted to make everyone feel the way I did so they would stop being so happy," David hugged himself,"Eventually, my attitude changed. I thought that would happen for you, just by being what Campbell was for me," He paused,"Just… by trying to be a good role model,"

"David…" Max had never seen him like this, it was weird and he didn't know what to do.

Another humorless laugh, but Max could hear the tears,"We see how my role model turned out. I wanted you to be happy, I still do, don't ever think that will change," He looked at Max,"But I… I thought if I helped, you could be happy. And like I said, obviously I failed. And! Not just _that_ ," Tears stained his face, and his smile was desperately broken,"Instead of making you happy, camp ruined your life, and you can't _fucking_ stand me and that- that," David sat back in his chair, shutting his eyes as he covered his mouth, well over the tipping point.

Max was frozen, watching the aftermath of his bullshit unfold before him. David had cried in front of him, sure. He wasn't an emotionally reserved kind of guy, he knew how he felt and that meant everyone else did too. Max would kill to not know how he was feeling right now.

Finally, David took his hand away from his mouth,"If I can't even help you be happy…"

You _do_ , Max thought, surprising himself.

"How am I supposed to be a decent parent?"

Max wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted to do so many things, but he couldn't _move_. Every word sunk into his chest like a knife, knowing he caused this doubt and the hateful words David pointed back at himself. He wished he could fix it, but he didn't know _how_.

David stood up, trying to wipe his face clean,"Someone good will come along, I'll make sure of it," He said, softly,"They'll be able to make you happy,"

No they won't.

"They could parent you better,"

No, they can't!

"They… they would deserve you,"

I don't deserve _you_ , idiot!

Max felt the impulse to move his feet as David went to the door, but he couldn't connect his body to his head. What he'd just heard he couldn't forget. He wouldn't forget. David was leaving. Max would be alone, he would be put in some random home he didn't want, with who he hated. He wanted David and David was _leaving_. He… yeah, he wanted _David_. He wanted whatever attempt he could make at this, he wanted to let him try, he wanted to give it a shot. David might be his last shot for having a decent home, somewhere he felt good and not like a fucking burden. Where he felt like he… he wanted to be there. But David was leaving.

Max realized as the words connected in his head that this wasn't about giving up on him.

David wasn't giving up on Max.

David was giving up on _himself_.

Max shot off the bed like it was on fire, throwing the door open and racing back to the lobby.

" _David_!"


	5. Chapter 5- Coping with the Truth(Pt 2)

" _David_!"

David was headed towards Gwen's seat in the lobby, holding his hand to his face. When he heard Max's call, he turned and blinked through blurry eyes. Max?

Max ran up to him, still not sure what to say but he knew he needed to say it,"David, I want-"

"Max! David, there you two are," The lady from the front desk tip-tapped her way down another hall to them, papers in her hands,"I need to speak with-"

"What _is_ it? Spit it out!" Max demanded, losing his nerve every second she wasted.

The girl looked startled, but it quickly turned into a sorrowful look,"Right- Max, we got in touch with your parents and…"She hesitated, lowering her voice for an attempt at privacy,"They have, er… confirmed your abandonment,"

He saw it coming, but _damn_ it still sucked a bit.

David looked at him sadly,"Oh, Max, I'm-"

Again with the pity and the 'So sorry' _crap_. Max was so sick of those sad fucking eyes. He wanted normal again. He wanted _normal_ David, normal days, a normal house. He needed this fixed as soon as he could. Even if it meant David still didn't want him, Max could fix one thing.

"Shut up and fucking _listen_ , David!" Max snapped.

David sighed,"Max, please just-"

Max felt awfully stupid yelling at David when he was so far from him; at least at the bonfire he had been the same height since David was kneeling. He grabbed a chair from the wall, dragged it forward despite the screeching of metal on tile, and hopped on top of it.

Max took a breath, face already warm as he realized some people stared because of his language, and let as much as he could go,"You're fucking wrong, about all of it," He started, getting straight to the point,"You aren't… You're not stupid for trying to help me, and you're a good role model, you'd be a fucking awesome dad even if you're obnoxious and lame all the time," Okay, reel it back in, Max," I fucked up, and I- I shouldn't have said what I said,"

David's expression was unreadable, but it didn't help that Max couldn't look him in the eye as he went on," I didn't want you to take me in because It- you acted like it was this obvious thing to do… I didn't want you to take me because you… your conscience or whatever told you it was the right thing to do. I just wanted you to… _shit_ , I wanted-" Why was this so hard to say?

"You wanted me to want to adopt you," David said, in almost a whisper.

Max's ears burned hot and he covered David's mouth,"Sh- Shut-it! Let me talk!"

David struggled not to smile as he nudged Max's hand away, new tears building all over again,"I don't _want_ some random fuckface in here trying to tell me what to do and act like they can just sign a paper and I'm their kid. No I- Nobody else is going to give a shit like you do,"

It was true. Nobody had worked themselves into Max's walls like David. He was only a few chunks in, to be fair, but it was closer than anyone else cared to get. After his younger years, Max already developed bad habits. Anyone who didn't get passed those on the first vist got scared off and left. That left him for everyone who just wanted a paycheck, who slipped by staff because they were just happy to have him off their hands after so long. David worked hard to get where he was, even if he didn't know it. That pizza night was a jump forward that Max hadn't expected, and everything moved just a bit faster after that.

Max stammered through the next bit, knowing where he needed to take it but still stumbling over the words,"I just… I never- I don't hate you, I shouldn't have said that shit and I was _mad_ and- I was just-," Max stomped his foot on the seat of the chair, frustrated.

"I'm- I'm _sorry_ ,"

 _There_. For fucks sake _there_. It was out of his mouth. That was all he needed to say, he could be done now and shut his mouth. After this it was on David for what was happening. Even though he didn't want to get his hopes up, Max really wanted David to be the one to take him home. After this? At least they'd had some form of 'bonding'.

David's smiled a little, still teary eyed as they spilled over and ran down his face,"Max…?"

" _What_ ," Max's whole face felt like it was on fire, scowling at him when he said his name.

David smiled a bit bigger,"Can I have a hug?"

Max wanted to _die_ ,"... _One_ ,"

David needed no other confirmation, he scooped Max into his arms with a laugh and hugged him close to his chest. Max stood on tiptoes on the chair, tentative hands reaching up a bit and holding onto David's jacket. He tried to focus on David, and not the ten or so other people now staring at them after that little fit. Not only had he just admitted personally shit in front of them, but now everyone was saying 'aw' and 'how sweet' and comments similar. It was all he could hear. And then-

"I'm sorry too," David said against his shoulder,"They might not want you, but… that's their loss."

Max stared ahead, blinking a bit excessively as his eyes started to sting. Loss? It sounded like they skipped out on a bad business plan, in his opinion.

"You're an amazing kid,"

The pressure grew too much to block out, and Max braced his hands against David's chest and pushed back, glad that David took the hint and let him go. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Max kicked the cushion of the chair absently, waiting for David to say something. The ball was in his court, Max had given his two cents. Slowly, his eyes moved across the floor to where Gwen was standing. Her arms were crossed, but she smiled slightly at David. When she saw Max looking, she smiled bigger at him. Max dropped his eyes to the floor again, glaring.

His stomach could have won an olympic medal for all the flips it was doing. Max couldn't really figure out whether it was because he was excited or because he was fucking _terrified_. Why? He didn't know why. It was another house, another 'family'. What was the difference? It was _David_. David was good, and nice and so… so _safe_. Max didn't have a fall back for this. If he fucked this up, David would be gone, he'd be alone and back in a home and there would be no chance out of it. Even though Max thought David wouldn't give him back, there was a chance. There was always a chance.

"Max," David's voice pulled Max's eyes up,"If I were to tell you I want this more than working at Camp Campbell," He smiled, knowing Max was well aware of how _badly_ he'd wanted the job,"Would you let me sign the papers to-?"

"Yes,"

The answer was so instinctive, Max was still registering that last half of what he said. This was a risk, but he knew that David would do everything he could to make this work. He knew David would try.

 _Because somebody fucking has to_.

David's smile broadened and he fidgeted,"Are you _sure_ it had to be _one_ hug," He complained.

Max twisted his sleeves and mumbled with a scowl,"Sign the damn papers before I change my mind,"

David laughed again, and Max didn't realize how badly he needed that sound until now. Stepping down from the chair, Max didn't know what to do with himself. He could still feel everyone's eyes on him, and the comments going around. David was still sniffling, and wiping at his eyes, but apparently, it was pretty obvious. David knelt down next to him.

"You want to get this sorted out back in the room?" he suggested.

Max shrugged as though it didn't matter,"Sure, why not,"

In truth, he was unbearably hot under his sweater despite the chill outside. His stomach was so twisty he legitimately felt nauseous. He just wanted to go… go… home? Fuck. How long was this flippy feeling gonna last?

David was back to his bubbly, bouncing of the walls self when they were getting papers sorted out. The only thing that soured the mood was the fact that Max would have to stay at the facility while they looked over his application, did a background check, went through training, etc. They said it might take up to three months to get everything sorted out, to which David was less than lease to hear. They added that most of these were finished in under a month, and that they would continue to update their placement in the line of applicants, blah blah blah. Max stopped listening, assuming David could take care of it.

It did suck that he would have to stay here while he waited for the process to finish. He hoped it went fast so he could leave and go...wherever home for David was. Max actually had no idea where David lived. He never had a reason to, nor did he ask now, but it gave him something to think about while he sat around here.

Maybe he lived in a trailer off of some mountain. Camping was his schtick, wasn't it? Roasting marshmallows and what not every night. Or maybe David had a great big Mansion. How, Max had no clue. That greedy bastard Campbell couldn't possibly be paying him that well. He had to have room for Max, at least. Well, he needed to show the inspector he had room for Max. After that, he could stick him wherever he wanted.

Max shook his head slightly, thumbnail cutting into the skin on his palm. _No_ , It wouldn't be like the others. It was David, it had to be different. He prayed to whatever shit stick was running this world that it was different. He could have a bed, and a room, and food, and everything he needed. Maybe not much extra, but the stuff he needed, right? He hoped so.

Maybe he could find some books or a computer or something to busy himself from this stupid feeling in his stomach. He had no idea what he was getting into. David was nothing like the others, as far as personality went. He was far more excited than others had been, that was easy to see. And no adoption had ever been as… emotional as this one. For Max or the parents. Of course, fake tears helped sell the idea they were goody-two shoes people who _loved_ kids and just wanted _one more_ for the foster home that was already over crowded. They didn't want one more kid, they wanted one more paycheck for one more drug deal and one more high. The places he'd been were never as good as this. The agencies he was used to had cracking, chipped paint on the walls, cigarette buds all over the outside sidewalk, mold in corners nobody _usually_ slept in. This place was like grade A shit. Gwen _had_ said David did research. But still, three hours away?

"Can I visit him?"

Max's expression shifted to confusion before he looked up at David,"What?"

David shifted between the woman's gaze and Max's,"Well, I… if you'd rather I stay home that's okay too! I could paint the guest room, or.. Something, but I just thought we could go have lunch or go see a movie?"

The woman, Jen, looked between the two of them with an eyebrow raised,"Is that something you would be comfortable with, Max?"

Max turned his eyes to Jen,"I mean, it doesn't bother me," He shrugged, still stuck on his stay here, and the incessant fluttering in his stomach.

Jen hummed,"We will look into that, considering this being such a… strange situation,"

David smiled down at Max, and continued signing things on papers Max didn't care to read. David was… really eager to see him. Max's hands slipped into his pocket again, laying his palms flat on his stomach as he got wrapped up thinking again. It was weird to have someone be this jumpy trying to take you home and they're _not_ on something. The corners of his lips turned up at the thought of David high. He would either laugh til he cried or cry until he passed out. Either way, Max would actually enjoy being there for that smoking session.

It did still make him a little fidgety himself. The idea of going home with David was… nice. But still, he had to clash with the thoughts from before. Would this be the whole month? Jumpy and itching to get home? He hoped not. He needed to think of other shit so the time passed faster. They had been here almost two hours now.

"So, I do need you to answer a few things for me, Max," Jen started, flipping over a page on her clipboard,"Health things, your life and experiences. And you may ask David to leave if you want,"

Max glanced at David out of the corner of his eye, he had stopped writing and looked between both of them,"Is it about the other houses?" Max's voice was level.

Jen nodded slowly.

Max had two options, here.

David stays. David _stays_ and hears just how shitty his life has been. David stays and hears how Max was coughing up blood when he was six, and disinfecting cigarette burns with hand sanitizer when he was eight. David stays, and it changes his view of Max. David fucking _stays_ , and gathers the depth of self-hatred in which Max has sunk into.

Or, David leaves. And nothing changes, and David doesn't know.

Decisions, decisions.

"He can stay."


	6. Chapter 6- Can I?

This would probably suck.

Max turned to David before the woman started questioning, staring him down,"No speaking, not a fucking word, got it?"

David sat up straight in his chair and moved his index and thumb across his lips like a zipper. Max narrowed his eyes and turned forward again, crossing his arms across his chest. Jen sifted through her stack of papers and removed a pad of paper. She turned to a new page, and the sound of it cutting the silence made Max shift.

Jen nodded,"Alright. Are you okay for me to record this?"

"Sure. And tell the guy getting off to it I said hey,"

Jen grimaced at his vulgarity, and David struggled not to open his mouth and reprimand him. Shaking her head, Jen touched a button on a recorder to start listening.

"Jennifer Rotes, the date is August 3rd, 2018. The time right now is 11:32 am,"

Jen gestured to Max so he scoot forward on the chair,"Max…"

Jen smiled patiently,"Use your last name from birth,"

Max scowled,"Look lady, I was dropped in a box at the police station,"

Jen frowned,"You have no recollection of your original last name?"

"Hell no," Max griped, crossing his arms.

"For the recording may I ask you watch your mouth, Max?" Jen asked, glancing at him with a less patient gaze.

"You got a mirror I can watch it in?" Max tilted his head, a shit eating grin on his lips.

"Max, please-," David cut in, and Max turned and scowled at him instantly.

"Zip it, or you're gone," Max swore, and David debated with himself for a moment before shrinking back in his chair, his knee bouncing anxiously on the floor.

At least he was quiet. Max was ready to be done with this. He wanted to get the fuck out of here, or at least do something other than keep sitting at this stupid table. Going over his past was something he was used to doing with case workers and the homes he was brought into. Of course, up until now, he was a snivelling mess sometimes. But he was over it. He was just ready to get it over with and ignore it all over again. Life sucks, move on, right?

"For the record, your original last name was…"Jen flipped through a few file folders,"Mora. Max Mora. No middle name. We also have David Jones in the room, a close camp counselor interested in adopting," Jen sighed,"Would you like to move onto questions?"

Max thought on the name for a moment, rolling it on his tongue,"Max Mora," He murmured, slowly,"Yeah. Dig away,"

Jen flipped back to a list on her pad of paper,"Can you recall your first home?"

"Not really. I was only there for a year, I could barely walk when I got there." Max thought it over, staring at the table,"I mean, that was the one with the creepy cameras right?"

Max found out when he was a little older that the reason he had been taken from the house was because the guy who had adopted him was video taping him 24/7. He linked the camera to a live video posting and made money off of it by making people pay to have him do certain stuff. Like maybe give Max a new toy, send him in there in a new outfit, give him special snacks. Max never really felt the same after learning that. He had an irrational fear of being watched, which is why he had stapled his curtains shut at his most recent home. Max revelled in the thought that those may have ruined the chance of getting their safety deposit back.

Jen's face remained mostly neutral as he spoke, looking down to read through a few things,"Mm… Yes, that was the ring of dark web recordings," Meanwhile, David shoved his seat back from the desk and stood, making both of them cringe with the screech.

Max shot him a look," _No_ , nothing. Fucking nothing,"

David stared right back, knuckles pressed to his lips as he fought himself. He _could_ leave. If this was the first story, he thought he might have to. He already felt sick just thinking about it.

To be fair, Max knew this story was going to mess with David's head. Not that he had told it because of that, but he knew that there were some things that would always make people revolted upon hearing them. David was no exception. Max has even seen a few case workers excuse themselves as he recounted the story.

Even so, Max knew he was considering leaving. He could see it in his face. He, in all honesty, wanted him here so he didn't have to explain all this a second time later on. And besides that, David would have to handle it sometime. Why not right before he got the chance to raise Max for the rest of his time, make him happier? It made sense to him. David could take it, he just needed a little… encouragement.

Max sat forward in his chair, feeling his face get hot as he thought of what he planned to do. He smacked the stop button, despite Jen's protests. She huffed and dropped her pen, running a down her face.

"Sit down and I… I'll make a fucking deal," Max grumbled, hands bunched tightly in his pocket.

David considered for a moment, but sat back down anyways. Max looked _anywhere_ but David as he pulled his hand from his pocket and held it out to David.

"But no talking," Max insisted,"I swear to god, David, I mean it,"

Max felt the weight of David's hand in his, and he gestured to the recorder, face burning,"Turn the fuckin thing back on, then,"

Jen narrowed her eyes at them, toying with her pen again. She pointed at them and gestured back and forth with it.

"I have a good feeling about this. Let's keep going," Jen pressed play,"So, the creepy camera house, as you described it. You remember nothing?"

"Not really," Max was honest, he didn't remember much. He was usually in a dark room, he had snacks and juice and toys to play with. He remembered being in that room, but he couldn't remember the guy who had actually adopted him.

Jen nodded,"Alright then, let's move on to the second home?"

Ah, this one might suck for David.

"You stayed at the home for three and a half months before being adopted again, at which home you spent… close to two years?" Jen indicated.

"That's it? Jeez," Max mumbled, shifting,"What about that house?"

"The… Dimmes household," Jen informed the recorder,"Were you ever physically abused in that home?"

Max would have laughed if David didn't squeeze his hand in anticipation,"Yeah,"

"Would you care to go into detail? If you aren't comfortable, just say so and we may move on,"

Max stared at the table, mulling it over. David would ask, if he didn't say it now. He knew he would, even if it hurt him to. He was trying to help, and that's the only reason max let him stay. He did want the help, eventually. But right now, David just needed to listen. He could handle this- he had to-, he had to have an idea of what life was like, right? Now or never. Max took a deep breath.

"Nah, it's okay. Uh," He thought for a bit,"The first couple months weren't bad. I remember this guy that started coming over during the day. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure the dude was fucking Mrs. Dimmes. Yeah, that's what the sounds were," He shook his head,"Anyway, Mr. Dimmes found out and yelled at her for a while and then took it out on me,"

David squeezed hard.

Max pretended his throat wasn't tighter as he spoke.

"From then on, if he was ever mad, it was on me. He came home and smelled funky and he'd drag me out of my room by my hair and wail on me in front of her. Sometimes he'd yell about how she made him do it," Max leaned his cheek on his free hand,"Sadistic cunt,"

"Can you clarify 'wail on me',?"

Max glared,"What, you thick or something? He'd beat the shit out of me. Belts, hangers, kick me with steel-toe boots if he was feeling lazy that day,"

Jen cleared her throat,"Alright, I think that's enough. Anything you want to say before we move ahead?"

Max pursed his lips,"I pissed on those boots before I ran away," He grinned cheekily.

Jen gave a tight smile, obviously a bit uncomfortable,"Alright, well I'm glad you could have a sense of revenge," She offered lamely,"Your third house? Velez?"

"That was the name? Huh," Max commented,"That one was-"

Max paused when the woman scoot back in her chair to reach for a box of tissues near the door. He swivelled his head and saw David leaning on the table, looking away with tense shoulders. Max scowled. God _dammit_ this dude was so fucking sensitive. Jen offered him the box of tissues and Max rolled his eyes. He had never told this whole story to an adult. When each happened, he did tell about that specific case, but he'd never unraveled it all in one go. Fuck, he knew it was a lot but he still had stuff to get through. For some reason, David was really bent out of shape about it. Well, it was pretty obvious why, but Max didn't expect him to be so distraught. Maybe he was wrong about him staying.

If he left, he could get everything out faster and get it over with but… David would ask again later on, and considering how much he'd already lost in repressing these shitty times, he wasn't sure if he'd remember it clearly enough. Even so, Max pulled his hand away from David's.

"You can leave, dude. It's not-" Max jumped a bit when David tugged his hand back, squeezing gently as if to refuse.

Max stared at him as he wiped his face and tried to straighten up,"O...okay," Max murmured, blushing all over again as he wiggled back in his seat.

"Okay, the Velez house? You went to live with them shortly after your fifth birthday, right?" Jen assured.

Max shrugged,"If that's what it says then sure,"

"Was there any instances of physical abuse?"

"Yes,"

"Would you care to-"

"Yes,"

Jen eyed him uncertainly,"Please, go ahead,"

Max squeezed David's hand despite himself.

"The… er, the Velez guys? Whatever, they were on all kinds of drugs. Meth, coke, whatever," Max glanced at David cautiously,"It wasn't too bad, it… if they were high they left me alone," He cleared his throat,"Uh… shit, what else… The… The wife was sadistic, I'm pretty sure-,"

Max was fighting himself as he spoke. He wanted to get this over with, spit it out and put it behind him, but every word he spoke it was like he had shoved a knife into David's chest. He hadn't really seen a normal person's reaction to this. Social workers, yeah, other orphans. But David was a softy in the first place. How could he play this? He needed to finish this, but _fuck_ the guy was ruining his plan. The whole reason Max told him he couldn't talk is because if David tried to console him, or made any comment about how 'awful' everything must have been, Max knew he would break. He didn't have time for that right now, he just wanted to get through. But the squeeze of his hand with the sniffles was killing Max anyway. He tried to ease up a bit, hoping once they made it through this and his most recent home he could calm himself down.

"She was the biggest problem, but it was only a few times a… a week," Well, he was bad at toning it down, obviously," Put me in like boiling baths, pulled my hair, er… she'd shove me downstairs and in-into walls to make me bruise," Max winced as he heard a hitching breath from David,"She… fuck, she liked to watch the colors change and poke them. If I was too loud, her husband would take swings at me with a belt,"

Without thinking or acknowledging it, Max started tightening his grip on David's hand,"I had no bed, food I had to sneak out of the kitchen, a-and...shit,"

Jen sensed the tension and shifted, still scribbling down notes,"Right. And that brings us to the last home you were in, before they left,"

"I was there for 3 years, they threatened me but they didn't hit me, I...had food sometimes but I had to sneak it, they yelled at me about being a piece of shit and useless a lot b-but that's just parents, right? It wasn't too awful, I just ignored them," Max huffed,"Can we be _done_?"

Jen swallowed thickly,"Yes, I think a break could be good to clear the air. She collected her stack of papers neatly and shifted them against her chest,"Please don't leave the facility just yet, we need to finish a few things but you'll be able to go home soon. I'll let you know about those off-campus visits, Mr. Jones," She assured him, standing and pushing her chair in,"I'll be back in a bit,"

The door quietly clicked shut behind her, and silence was interrupted by David's sniffling.

David gave a watery laugh,"I… I haven't cried this much in one day since Jasper," He said, unsure what else he had to offer.

He noticed his hand then and pulled away,"Oh- sorry," He murmured,"Talking and everything,"

Max didn't want to talk anymore. He felt like anything out of his mouth was just making the man upset. He just wanted to sit, and do nothing. He didn't protest when David pulled his hand away, but he stood up from his seat and walked back over to the bed. He very seriously flopped on the bed, glanced at David, and then looked at the floor. He rubbed his arm a few times, then held the sleeve in his hand. His grip was tight, and Max closed his eyes while he rubbed the material against his thumb, deep in thought.

Today was… bittersweet, he guessed? A real rollercoaster, by anyone's standards. In two days, his entire life had done a 180 from a gutter rat going home to home and probably dying in one of them, to… to whatever this was. To something…Max didn't know how to finish that. To something. Just something.

He didn't have the problem of the fluttering in his stomach anymore. No, the butterflies had climbed to his throat. He struggled to keep his composure, to keep it in. He was… tired. Tired of today, of the excitement, of hearing David burst into tears because of something he said. Is that all he did? Throw David into a fit of tears? It sure felt like it. He just wanted things to go smooth. Just _once_. Just calm, one thing to the next and the next. No mountains to climb or valleys to jump. He wanted to know what the fuck he was supposed to be doing.

"Max?"

David's voice was right in front of him. His tone was spoken softly, as if he was any louder he would break him. Fuck, he may be right.

First, devastation. No, he didn't like the parents he had but he thought that they would at least tolerate him. Was he too annoying for a hundred? What did it cost to just _ignore_ him? What did it cost to really care? Max wondered, if there was a real price, if he could pay it. If he would choose to. Maybe all this bullshit had been payment enough.

Next, David. David and David and fucking David. He was there to help him through it. And Max had done what to say thanks? Thrown his past in his face. David _still_ helped him. He looked up a good home, got him here safe, drove hours out of his way to make sure of it. He cried in front of Max and the only thing he could say is 'I want you to be happy'. He immediately wanted Max, as soon as he knew the kid wouldn't hate him for it. He even _asked_ to make sure Max really wanted to go home with him. And now, David was ruined by his life story. Being left behind, having to throw away what he desperately wanted, being told how amazing David thought he was. Ups, downs, everywhere. If Max was a mess, could he be blamed?

"Oh, Max," David spoke again, this time with more sadness in his voice.

Max blinked his eyes open, suddenly aware of the wet droplets running down his face. He lifted a hand to his face and wiped at his eyes before tucking it back into his pockets.

"Are you okay?" Again, that voice cut straight through him; so kind and patient, wanting nothing more than to keep him safe.

Max hesitated, but his voice broke when he whispered,"...No,"

David shifted from his position on the floor,"Can I-,"

" _No_ ,"

Quiet reigned again. Max blinked at the floor, tears slowing but occasionally blurring his vision until he cleared them once more. He wanted to sleep, and move onto tomorrow.

"Can I talk?"

Max wiped his face with a defeated sort of nod.

"I'll talk if you lay down," David told him,"How's that sound, kiddo?"

Max was hesitant for a little bit, but he glance at the rather barren bed. He lay down wordlessly, tugging the pillow at the head of the bed closer to him to lay his head on.

And then David talked.


	7. Of Jackets and Stories

Max fell asleep.

While David was talking, he was pretty sure. He didn't do it on purpose, but between crying, getting three or less hours of sleep, and...and David's jacket laying on top of him, Max couldn't help it. He slept through the night, and when he woke up, David's jacket was still laying over him. He didn't move for a while, thinking about everything that had happened as if today he was going to be less emotionally involved. He hoped so, he couldn't keep up with this crep. He'd dehydrate and _die_! ...Well, maybe not but it was an option.

Max found his hands picking at the edge of the leather on David's jacket as he thought about David's rambling last night.

" _I know you don't want me to talk about what happened, so I won't after this but," David paused,"I...If I could have been there… If I had known, Max, I would have done everything I possibly could of, and more to just...I can't believe your first house was...was… that. I just want to say you can talk to me, about any of this, I might… need time to adjust, but I'd be happy to talk, if you-"_

" _Move on," Max said clearly, done with his rambling and already feeling his face heat._

 _There was a moment of awkward of silence._

" _Alright," David said softly._

 _Max could fucking hear the gears in David's head grind as he tried to push forward to something else. Max was about to snap at the older man again but before he would even come up with the first word he was cut off by the counselor suddenly laughing._

 _Max shifted so he could peek down at David, confusion evident on his face as he watched the man cover his face as he was overcome with a fit of laughter._

 _What the fuck, Max thought, as he couldn't come up with any words to the situation before him. After that scene with the tears and the snivelling, Max honest to god thought he may be bipolar. That would explain the ups and downs he seemed to be struggling with so often. But pushing passed that-mostly because bipolarity could also mean fits of rage, and Max didn't want that picture in his head- Max stared at his father-to-be with a perplexed gaze._

 _It wasn't until after David calmed down and sighed out as if he heard a really good joke and was now just appreciating it._

" _Uh, what the fuck was that?", Max asked, bordering a scream as David was almost creeping him out with the long stare he was giving the wall._

 _David just smiled and gave another short huff of a chuckle, looking up at Max with eyes filled with warmth. "Sorry, I know you were relaxing. I just… would you mind if I shared something from my time at camp?"_

 _Max could feel himself getting nauseous all over again by the overload of sweetness in the man's eyes. He was, honestly, one of the most innocent grown men he had ever met in his life. How did he do this shit to Max? Making him flustered, the nerves he couldn't stand bubbling in his stomach. Max swore he could see a fucking kitten being more malicious than David. With that, just the... the softness in his voice made it very hard to say no. David was a goddamn marshmallow that Max wanted nothing to do with some days… but he couldn't help the small spark of curiosity that settled in his chest._

 _Ah fuck it, he was tired and he'd deny any accusation from Nikki and Neil about willingly listening to one of David's stories._

" _Why not?" Max said as he turned over back onto the bed, trying to get as comfortable as he was before his little bout of giggles._

Max rolled over on the bed as the door opened, eyes blurred from sleep even while he thought of the night previous. A man came into the room with a smile.

"Max Mora? I'm here to get you started on routines for the next few weeks," He hummed,"I'm Chikae,"

Max studied him for a second. He had painted blue nails? Max wondered briefly about that, but decided he didn't much care. The blue shade contrasted against dark skin, and his hair was pulled back in a thick headband that held thick dreads in a makeshift ponytail. On his nose, a pair of wire-thin glasses sat. He was a little on the heavy side, but the dark purple uniform looked alright on him. He was by no means a small guy.

Max grunted, and wanted to roll over again and drift off to dreams. It was nice to have a quiet room again, after the crickets and cicadas screaming throughout his stay at the camp. He had slept for a while, obviously. Hell, David started talking yesterday right around noon, when Max first laid down. It took him a little while to fall asleep, because he really hadn't meant to but… it was a nice temp in the room and the pillow was soft and he sort of just drifted off. Even so, the sun peeked through the curtains now, which meant it had to be at least seven. That was a pretty nice night's sleep, considering the mess of his life.

He mumbled into the pillow at the man.

"Sorry, say again?"

Max flipped his head away from the pillow,"What time is it?"

"Right around 6, close to dinner," Chikae said cheerfully.

Max's eyes finally opened fully with those words,"Wh- I slept for a whole fucking day?"

Chikae laughed,"Oh, no! David left about three hours ago, he said you were sleeping and he'd be back after dinner to see you," He reassured him,"You only slept a few hours,"

Max blinked at the floor, still groggy,"He's coming back?"

"He said sometime around seven,"

Max nodded and shifted back on the bed, rubbing his eyes from the gritty sleep that stuck in the corners. Well, he was a _little_ disappointed he hadn't killed a day of this place yet. But, he should have assumed they would wake him up for dinner. This place was too fancy to leave him sleeping without a meal. Max sat up slowly, careful to catch David's jacket before it hit the floor and got dirty or something. Not that he cared. If David wanted his jacket clean he should have taken it with him. But even so, Max folded it over his arm as he sat up and slid off the bed.

"So as long as the room doesn't have food or trash on the floor, we really don't pick on anyone much," Chikae stared, overwhelmingly energetic for being with a kid who just rolled out of bed,"Dinner is anytime from 6 to 7:30, lunch is 12 to 1:30, and breakfast is really flexible, we have a lot of late sleepers here, so their breakfast can become lunch sometimes," Chikae explained, holding open the door for Max to go into the main hall,"We have a few staff in the kitchen all the time,"

"What kind of fancy ass place is this?" Max scoffed, realizing as he shut the door that he was still holding the jacket in his arms, but he chose not to put all the effort into putting it back in the room; might as well hold onto it in case David showed up early, right? Right.

Chikae smiled at him,"We're coupled with a home for domestic abuse survivors," He explained,"We have some children here who are orphans on their own, and others who have their mothers or fathers with them. The building owner isn't here often, he works somewhere else,"

Max shifted the item in his arms,"Busy dude,"

"Very, but he's a CEO somewhere, and donates half of his funds here every other month. Hence the 'fancy-ass' place," He chuckled,"If you don't mind my saying so, you and David have made quite the impression here."

Max lifted his head, raising an eyebrow,"What? The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, the way I see it, that guy is a fantastic actor," Chikae began," _Or_ , he really cares about you. That scene in the lobby is all over this place,"

Max scowled,"Gossip is all he said, she said shit,"

Chikae hummed,"Well, what do _you_ say?"

Max was a little thrown by the question,"I say he's a fuckin weirdo… But he's my best shot at making it to 18 without anymore hospital visits,"

Chikae nodded,"I get it," He murmured,"But for the record, I have a feeling your file is on it's way at the top of the pile. I give it a week before you're out of here. Jen was incredibly persuasive,"

Max said nothing. He hoped the guy was right; even though this place was pretty well-off, he didn't want to be grouped with a bunch of shit-head kids for longer than necessary.

"You hungry?"

"Fuck yeah, what do you guys make here?" Max decided this guy could be okay to hang around if he needed something.

Chikae pursed his lips,"Today is chicken stuff, I'm pretty sure,"

"Appetizing," Max said snidely.

Chikae chuckled again,"I mean they make chicken dishes. Barbeque, lemon pepper, drummies, whatever," He explained,"Anything we don't eat for dinner stays for a few days as leftovers, then we take it home,"

"All that? Jesus," Max was hungrier now knowing that he had a _buffet_ to look forward to.

With a smile, Chikae pointed him to the bathrooms, a medical room, long-term rooms, and finally the cafeteria. By the time they got down there it was 6:30, and there were quite a few people sitting around eating. The room wasn't excessively large, really. The tables were randomly placed on the open floor, covered in white plastic table covers. On one wall, there was a glass shielded buffet. Max could smell the food from the door, and Chikae left him for something his beeper rushed him to pay attention to. Max piled his plate with potatoes, lemon pepper chicken, and green beans. Mashed potatoes were always one of his favorites, and green beans went well with them. Max set the jacket on the seat on the right of him and, regretfully, ended up eating everything but the green beans on his plate- they were cooked with onions, which he despised- and sat around waiting.

And found himself thinking back to last night again.

" _Okay! Well, I was actually the one to find the first Mascot for the camp!" David began, pride in his voice,"It was a contest for the day before Fourth of July in camp, actually. Mr. Campbell told us whoever found the best mascot would get to light one of our fireworks. Of course, being the rambunctious 14-year-old I was, I was excited,"_

 _Max rolled his eyes even though they remain closed, wondering what 90s based sitcom he had last heard the word 'rambunctious'._

" _I went running around with another friend from camp, his name was Mark! I thought he was really nice," David was in his own little world as he spoke, going down memory lane,"I'm pretty sure he watched a lot of sports, too! He would always come up behind me and pat me, like in football! He was a little odd,"_

 _Max lifted his head, eyes wide open as he turned to stare at David,"Run that back?"_

" _What? Like when the coach is happy with the team and-,"_

" _No, I got it, David," Max stifled a well-earned laugh,"I hate to break it to ya, but I'm pretty sure Mark was gay as fuck,"_

 _David nodded,"Yes! He was, he was always really happy! It was nice to hangout with him,"_

 _Welp. Max tried. He lay back down, trying- and failing- to suppress a grin._

" _Anywho! We went out to look and I was crossing this little log to the other side of the river and Mark did one of those little pats and scared me! I fell off and it was awfully scary for a little while," David shuddered,"I thought I might get sick and not have a chance to find the mascot if I was in bed all day,"_

 _David turned a bit and looked up at Max,"Y'know, I really wanted you to find the mascot this year. Of course, I'm happy Neil and Nikki had fun finding their platypus, but I thought it would be nice…" David paused, waved a hand, and turned back around,"Ah, anyways…"_

 _Max frowned against the pillow sheet,"What? What were you gonna bitch about?"_

 _David thought a moment,"I had hoped you would find the mascot because… Well, it's a little silly but I hoped it could give you a little feeling of pride for staying at the camp!"_

 _Max rubbed his face again, feeling himself blush,"Yeah… well, sorry to disappoint,"_

 _Max's face burned hotly when David spoke,"Never, Max," His voice held that soft tone of admiration again,"You could never disappoint me. I'll always be proud of you, Max! As long as you try!"_

 _Max was quiet, thinking for a bit," Y-yeah. Just keep fucking going, get this over with," Max grumbled half-heartedly._

Max could feel his cheeks heat up even now, remembering such a quiet moment. He shook his head free of those thoughts, shovelling another bite of mac n cheese into his mouth.

" _Oh! Right-o. Well, Mark startled me and I fell in! I was coasting down this long, long river, when_ _ **bam**_ _! I ran right into a little beaver dam!" David's voice was beginning to cut in and out as Max's eyes felt tired and heavy,"I thought I was gonna get a bite...the water but...and that...I mean wow! Once in a lifetime…"_

Max couldn't remember much else, his memories were blurry even before this. He could probably assume that David had wrangled a Beaver for the very first Mascot. Which was kinda cool, if he didn't scream or cry or anything like David would normally do. Max poked at his green beans again, surprised to find himself wondering when the hamster had come into play for the latest Mascot. Those little shits only lived like three years, didn't they? Maybe one of the campers found it before David worked there.

"Max!" Max pulled his gaze up from his tray, looking around for David.

At the door of the little cafeteria, David waved his hand. He was wearing a long-sleeve grey and blue sweater, and Max suddenly realized how rare it was to see him anything but those awful puke-green shirts and khaki pants or shorts. The sweater didn't look _great_ , but it looked better than the camp uniform. Max realized, as the butterflies began to turn around in his belly, that he'd be seeing quite a bit more of David outside of camp. His gaze turned to the floor as he had this revelation, still not finding a word for the way he felt. But he felt something, definitely.

"Hey, kiddo!" he chirped, happy as ever,"How's it been?"

Max glanced around,"Chicken isn't too shitty," He mumbled passively.

David beamed at him,"That's the spirit! I know it can be hard to wait but we can go home soon!" He sat down on Max's left,"Thank you for looking at the positive,"

Max blushed and scowled,"I didn't hate the chicken, fuckin christ, David, back off," He gripped,"And your stupid jacket was on the bed when you-...left,"

Max dropped his fork on the tray to turn and pick up David's jacket, but found there was nothing there. He leaned back on the chair to see if it had fallen down, but was once again staring at a jacket-less floor. He felt panic seize his stomach, and anger flared.

"Hey, what's wrong?" David asked, concern lacing his voice.

Max shoved his seat back from the table as he stood up, catching the attention of a few people around the little corner table,"The _jacket_ , some cunt fucking stole it,"

David stared at him, confused,"The… Max, it's just a jacket!" Max didn't look happy with that answer, but rather a bit anxious.

No, he didn't want the jacket, David should have taken it with him in the first place, but Max wanted to know who had taken it and serve his own kind of justice. People in a place like this stealing? _Really_? It made Max want to scream at David, for being so forgiving for _no reason_. He didn't know these people! Maybe they just wanted to steal a new jacket, fuck over someone else. Max also didn't want to be more angry than David was. It was his jacket. He had no reason to be, David was the stupid one who left it behind in the first place. It wasn't Max's fucking fault.

"Yeah, whatever," Max shoved his hands in his pockets, ignoring the tray on the table and stalking off as he shouted none-too quiet,"I hope whoever fucking _stole it_ freezes to death,"

David stood up and sheepishly hurried after the kid, feeling a little flustered with so many eyes on the two of them. He knew he needed to at least try to talk this out, feeling like something bigger may be lying under the surface of this worry.

"Max, kiddo! Wait, please!" Max didn't stop or even slow down, ignoring David's request entirely.

When David finally caught up to him, he tried to tug on Max's shoulder and stop him from walking. Max jerked away and stumbled a bit, only just managing to catch himself. Slipping up seemed to make him even more angry, and he seethed as he glared up at David.

" _What_? For _fucks sake_ , what do you want?" Max snarled.

David pulled his hand away, pressing it against his own chest instead as Max's anger hit him. This was a different kid than he saw a few hours ago. He recoiled a bit from the boy, knowing the last time he was this hateful he got his feelings hurt quite a bit. He needed to be gentle, and careful. And ignore anything mean. Ignore it, David.

"Max, I just want to understand why you're so upset, I-"

"I'm not." Max returned, immediately, boiling behind the words.

David frowned,"Max, come on. I can tell you-"

"No, _no_ , David. You think signing a goddamn paper changes this?" Max snapped, gesturing to the space between them,"You _think_ you know me. You heard my fucking life and assume you know everything,"

David shifted his feet,"I'm trying to help," He stated softly, hoping Max could see that.

No such luck,"You can shove your fucking help," He spat, returning his hands to his pockets as he turned and walked away.

David wrung his hands together as he walked away, struggling for words,"I- I'm still proud of you, Max!"

Max lifted his hand for a desperately inappropriate 'salute' over his shoulder as he walked away. David sighed quietly, not sure where to really go. He had come here to see Max, afterall. He couldn't help but feel like that whole fight was a little of his own fault. He did leave the jacket here. He thought Max would like it, but apparently it was just a nuisance. David picked at his nails for a moment as he thought, before he gave up and turned to go back to the cafeteria.

When he had walked in, David really felt the rumbling in his stomach. It smelled amazing in the large cafe, and David reluctantly recalled his sorry excuse for dinner. He drove home around one, which meant the two hour drive put him home at threeish. He ate a sandwich, changed his clothes after a very brisk shower, and hopped right back into the car. He had hoped to beat traffic, but had no luck there either. He did make it there by seven, so he was glad for that. On the way, he snacked on the trail mix Max had brought him. He was even more delighted that the little pack had almonds in it. The stand still traffic was a little boring, but David sang to the songs on the radio and remembered he was on the way to see Max! It was worth the drive for Max!

Well, he thought it had been. Now Max was angry with him. He really didn't want to climb back in that car just yet. If Max changed his mind, at least David was there. He didn't really know how long he was allowed to stay, but he was feeling a little strange hovering in the corner of the room. Maybe he should leave. Max wasn't really one to change his mind, was he?

"David?" A voice had David's head lifting- Chikae.

Chikae smiled at him,"Hi, I'm Chikae, I helped show Max around before dinner,"

David smiled in return,"Did you? Thank you! Was he okay..?"

A sympathetic grin on his lips, Chikae nodded,"He's got quite a mouth on him, but he was just fine. He seems like a nice kid,"

David nodded,"He is, I'm glad he's okay here," He shifted,"Or, well, he _was_ okay here,"

Chikae tilted his head,"What do you mean by that?"

David deflated a little as he explained what had happened.

"Bit of a hot head, isn't he?" Chikae commented,"Where is he now?"

David shrugged,"He walked away from me, I thought it'd make him mad to follow,"

Chikae nodded,"You may be right. Maybe tomorrow will have a better outcome?" Chikae smiled,"I was actually supposed to come see you with Max, I had something else to handle or I would have stayed. Jen, the one who interviewed you?"

Eager to know the new, David nodded,"Yes?"

"She actually managed to get the guys in charge here together and convince them to let you do those little visits," Chikae beamed,"It's a little unorthodox, but she thought being separated from you in this sort of time could make Max's stay more.. Yeah, you know what I mean,"

David gasped,"Oh, that's amazing," Without thinking, he hugged the man tightly, happy he could try to start life with Max as soon as he could,"Please give her my thanks if I don't see her again! Oh, golly…"

Chikae chuckled and patted his shoulder before he pulled away,"Of course. I'm gonna look around and see if I can get that jacket back, but you should head home. Max can call or text if he needs to, let him know that,"

David nodded again, smiling even though he had to get back in the car for another long drive,"I will. Thank you, sir, really. You've made my night,"

Chikae tipped his head with a shining smile,"I'm happy I could," He offered a card to David,"I'm the one running Max's hall, if you need to get ahold of him or worry, just give me a call,"

After about twenty more thank-yous, Chikae waved him off towards the car, still smiling. David was a little reluctant to get back into the little carolla, but he at least climbed in with a bit of gusto, knowing tomorrow he could come visit Max.

* * *

Max scrolled on his phone, still waiting for replies from Neil and Nikki. He has sent them only twenty minutes ago, but he was anticipating their reactions to the adoption process. After David pissed him off, he went to his room to sit on his phone and watch something on Netflix. He didn't really have anything else to do, to be fair.

 **Nikki; 7:06 pm;** _ **wait, david? from CAMP?!**_

Max grinned.

 **Max; 7:07 pm;** _ **Yea. Parents jumped ship**_

 **Nikki; 7:07 pm;** _ **sux to hear, dude. U okay?**_

 **Max; 7:08 pm;** _ **I'm going home with the psycho in a week. Am I supposed to be?**_

 **Nikki; 7:09 pm;** ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Max rolled his eyes at the screen, shutting off the phone and letting background music fill the room. Flipping onto his side, he wondered if he could manage to sleep again.

He turned his head when the door opened. Chikae smile on his way in and, Max realized instantly, held David's jacket in his hands. Max sat up, but kept his face as neutral as he could.

"Your roommate was keen on getting this thing back," He hummed,"Found it with one of the kids- no, I'm not saying who,"

Max's question was shot down immediately, so he narrowed his eyes at the man,"Roommate? David?"

Nodding, the garment was tossed to Max's bed,"Yeah. Figured he's not your dad, more than some random dude. Roommate fits, dontcha think?"

Max thought about it for a bit,"That's fuckin weird but I guess,"

Chikae shook his head, smiling,"You need anything? I'm helping the kitchen clean up after this, might not be free til late,"

Max shook his head, messing with the jacket in his hands,"No, did David leave?"

There was a pause before Chikae nodded,"Yeah, he thought you wouldn't wanna hang out with him after the fight,"

Max scowled,"He told you? Fuckin crybaby,"

Chikae shrugged,"He's not that bad. I thought it was kinda cute how he worried," He smiled and turned to leave.

Max sat up and stared at him,"What- dude that's so gay,"

Chikae grinned in the doorway,"Flamboyantly so," He winked and shut the door with a quiet click.

Despite himself, Max found a grin pulling at his face.

 _Ding!_

Max flopped his head on the jacket as he laid down, picking up his phone. His expression soured when he realized it wasn't Nikki _or_ Neil who texted.

 **David; 7:15 pm;** _ **I'm sorry today didn't end well. They told me I was allowed to visit, if you would want to? I can be over there whenever you want!**_

Max's thumb hovered over the keyboard, thinking. Yeah, he had kinda been a dick today. Would he admit that? No. But David was really excited to hangout with him for whatever reason, and Max still needed to give back the stupid campfire reeking jacket. He sighed. Someone had to give in here, and Max was the one refusing to compromise and make nice. Not that he would give David a break, no, but someone had to get over themselves. And right now, Max knew he was being the asshole. Time to pick up some slack, he supposed.

 **Max; 7:16 pm;** _ **See you 2.**_

 **David; 7:16 pm;** _ **Okay! Thank you kiddo! Goodnight!**_

 **Max; 7:17 pm;** _ **K**_ **.**

Max pushed his phone away, closing his eyes as his face settled against the cool leather on the jacket.

 _I'll always be proud of you, Max! As long as you try!_

I can try, Max decided, if he can, I can.


	8. A Quiet Hideaway

Once again, Max awoke to the smell of an old campfire. His face was still pressed against the leather jacket, and it was obvious he had fallen asleep without quite realizing. He gazed around the room, a quiet reminder that he was stuck in this little white and beige room for sometime. He closed his eyes again, wondering how much of the day he could sleep away. After all, if he was passed out, there was no need for interacting much with the public. After yesterday, that was the last thing he wanted to do. Part of him had really hoped Chikae would change his mind about telling him who stole the jacket. One thing he hated was people taking his stuff. He had a sinking feeling that that would happen quite often if he wasn't careful. While he wanted to take the jacket- for reasons he _refused_ to list even to himself- he knew that it could only end poorly unless he was wearing it, which he would absolutely not do.

Relishing the last few beats of laying on the bed, Max eventually sighed and pulled himself upright. There was nothing to do in his room aside from watching netflix or texting people. He slid forward on the mattress until his feet hit the floor, tugging his phone from the charger. Today was Saturday, not that that really meant much. He didn't have school for another two weeks. Max paused with entering his phone password. _School_. He had forgotten about that. He needed a new backpack, new binders, new everything pretty much. He still had no clue what his parents did with his stuff, after all. Speaking of…

Max felt relief wash over him again, grateful he'd decided to pack Honeynuts. If he had left him home, he had no clue what they would have done with him. Probably sold him for a buck, or less. Max tugged his bag from underneath the bed and lifted the bear in question. He looked at the barren walls and picked at the stitches on the bear's fur. One of them concealed the wad of cash he had stored in there over the years, but the others were from 'siblings' in his houses tearing it away from him, dogs chewing it up, general stuff. Max had learned how to sew a while ago. He sewed Honeynuts, his own jeans, shirts. Whatever needed sewn. It was hard to fly under the radar when your clothes had holes in every stitch. He was tired of the constant questions, so he had only a few options. Of course, the pocket kit he'd stolen when he was at his last foster home only went so far, and he had decided to leave it home anyways. The last thing he needed to do was lose it at camp.

Max's socks were quiet on the hardwood again as he stuffed honeynuts further into his bag, which he then shoved deeper under the bed. After the jacket, Max refused to take chances. He couldn't afford to, at this point. Getting new school stuff was enough wasted money from David. He didn't need to lose what little amount of clothes he had and get… get some sort of trouble for losing the shit in the first place. Thinking twice, Max grabbed the jacket off the bed and shoved it under the bed, too.

He padded across the room to the door, slipping his phone from his pocket. Two texts from David.

 **David; 5:45 am;** _ **Gwen needed me to go in today to help out with files, but I'll try to be there by three, like we said!**_

 **David; 6:30 am;** _ **I'm so excited to see you! Anywhere you wanna go? :D**_

Max swiped away from the texts, leaving them to sit. He'd need to think about that one. In the meantime, he was bored. He moved to the door again and cracked it open. Nobody was in the dim hallway, leaving Max to slip out into the quiet air. He stuck his hands in his pockets to protect against the chilly air. He was glad no floorboards creaked as he walked, leaving him alone to wander down to the first floor and explore a bit. After Chikae ran off for the office yesterday, he had yet to finish looking around this place. No better time than now, right? It was quiet, nobody was really awake to bug him. Max briefly wondered how early Chikae came in. Maybe he stayed here? Who knows.

After walking aimlessly for a little while, the boy turned down a hall with a few doors on either wall. He tugged the ones that weren't locked open, and they had craft stuff in them. Pencils, paper, crayons. Some even had old and stale clay. He wondered when all that stuff had been shoved into the closets. At the end of the wallway, Max came across two foggy glass doors. They were held open by a little wooden chunk stuffed inbetween. Curious, he pushed through them. What he saw made his day quite a bit better.

Shelves were lined with books, nothing but the early sun drifting through to light the place up. There were two tables with little desk chairs in the middle of the room, and it was clear they were dusty and needed wiped down. If Max had had any allergies- aside from his affliction with kiwi- he would have asphyxiated just opening the door. He lifted his shirt in front of his face, stepping into the room. The wooden block skid across the floor. He stepped further into the room and the door clicked shut. The large window litl it up for the most part, but some areas max was still straining to see things. He lifted a hand against the wall, searching for a lightswitch.

Once he found it, the lights flickered, then hummed to life above. There was a large, circular dome in the center of the room above the table, and a few wall lights that glowed a soft yellow light. The only lights that didn't work were right in front of the doors to the library. Now Max could see the dust on the bookshelves, too. The whole place was covered in it, like it hadn't been touched for a few months at least. He walked further into the room, touching his fingers against the light-colored wood and pulling them along the length of it. His fingers were coated with the dust, and he rubbed them against his sweater to clear them of it. It wasn't too big a room, to be fair, but it was definitely a decent size. Past the bookshelves up front, a few fluffy chairs had been hidden from view. Max turned away from them in favor of searching through books.

Today could definitely be good.

Max spent god knows how long sifting through books in each section. In the fiction section, he found one of his guilty pleasure books- Cirque Du Freak. He openly admitted hating media's version of vampires, because he did. But he loved this series for reasons he couldn't explain. Everytime he read them he felt a sense of engrossment he couldn't find in very many other places. He had never read the whole series, only the first two and either the seventh or the ninth. He had no idea where to get the full series- even this place didn't have all of them. They did have quite a few from the series though, so Max snagged the third and fourth. He didn't feel like breathing in a cloud of dust, and settled for sitting on the floor against the fiction's section shelf.

He read, and read, and read. He must have gotten four chapters in before he heard footsteps a bit too often outside the doors. He could hear scattered voices, fading in and out. It felt a little panicked. Max gathered his books and tucked them under his shirt, carefully keeping them concealed as he inched towards the door. He flipped off the light and pressed against the door near the edge so he couldn't be seen as he listened.

 _Where is he?_

 _Did Chikae come in?_

 _I knew he was trouble…_

Max realized quickly it had been more than a few minutes since he left. He tugged his phone from his pocket, swiped past David's texts, and felt panic seize his stomach- it was almost 9:30. Then meant wake up calls had gone through already, and since Max was nowhere to be seen, that left the staff in a frenzy to find him. How did he get out of this one?

He could just walk out, but Max worried that they wouldn't let him back in here. This place was closed up for a reason, right? Max didn't have shit else to do while he was here, he couldn't lose this place. He scowled at the voices as they passed, wondering what he could do. What could they not get mad at him for? Breakfast? No, they could ask the chefs where he was. If he said he was with Chikae, they'd bullshit him immediately, they had just asked if he was in yet. What could he do? When his stomach tensed to hold his bladder, Max got his plan. If he was in the bathroom, they couldn't deny that he was or wasn't, could they? He could tell them he had IBS, and number two was a little more complicated than he wanted this morning. Chikae might call him out on it, but the other idiots couldn't say anything.

He squinted at the floor to see where the block had gone; if he didn't put it back, he wouldn't be able to get back in. After straining to see in the dark room, he saw it had skittered across the floor towards the front desk area. When he picked it up, a little sign caught his eye,

 _ **Upstairs Office: Staff Enter/ Exit Only.**_

That could prove useful, later on.

Max shuffled back to the door, creeping next to it until the hall was deathly quiet. He slipped out, dropped the little block in between the doors, and hurried down the hall. If he could make it to a bathroom, he'd be off the hook. He heard footsteps coming, and he opened a closet and quietly snuck inside. He held the knob turned until the wood closed completely, then gently let it relax and shut. He listened, waited, and breathed through his mouth to keep himself silent. Something about this felt too close to sneaking around for food, and it settled hard and heavy in Max's stomach. He needed to focus now, though. The building was still relatively quiet, since some kids were still in their rooms getting ready or passed out. Even the staff tried to keep their voices down as they passed by. Max needed to be sneaky, and that meant pulling out old tricks he hoped he'd have gotten rid of.

Once the hall was silent again, Max crept into the hall again, almost as grateful for wearing socks out as he was for bringing Honeynuts with him. He stepped as fast as he could down the hall, and ducked immediately into a closet near the showers when he heard the stairs creak loudly. Max steadied his breath, in and out through his mouth lest his nose whistle and give him away, and stayed frozen until they passed. So close, just past the stairs there was the boy's bathroom. Get in there, and he was done. Once it was quiet again, he stepped back into the hall.

When he reached the stairs, he dropped slowly to his hands and crawled up the steps like a dog. As soon as his palm touched the dirty wood, Max's breath caught in his throat and he was smacked in the face with vivid memories.

 _The smashing, screaming, and banging around downstairs had stopped an hour ago. Still, Max was hidden in the closet with another boy. What was his name? Max blanked for an answer. They were two years apart, and the real kid was older. Max had been through this twice before, and this third home was just routine by now. Even so, Max still trembled like a rabbit as they waited for it to be silent. Max crept forward to the door as it stayed silent, reaching up to the handle. The boy grabbed his hand and shook his head._

 _Max lifted his hand to his stomach, and pulled his hand away. He needed food, so did the other kid. They hadn't eaten for two days. Max opened the door silently._

 _Through their bathroom, out to the hall. Everything was so still and quiet it was howling in Max's ear as he stepped towards the stairs. Slowly, he knelt and began sliding down on his rear, one at a time. Each quiet shift of his shorts against the wood was like a bomb dropping to him, but he kept going despite his racing heart._

 _When he got near the bottom, he looked up. The woman stood there, staring at him with a sickening hunger. Max felt his entire stomach jolt. He could do nothing as she climbed up towards him. He had to take it, or she'd get them both._

Max felt like air shoved itself away from his lungs and he lost his balance. His foot slipped back and he stomped on the step below, which resounded loudly against the walls. Instantly, he scrambled up the steps, down to the bathroom, and bolted inside. He found a stall and just barely made it in before he heard footsteps. He shoved the books behind the toilet, sat on the throne, and tried to calm his breath to a normal pace. The door swung open moments later.

"Max Mora?" A voice called,"Are you in here?"

Max faked a groan, even as his mind raced through the things he just saw,"I'm here…"

Steps came towards the door,"Have you been in here all morning?"

"Yeah… digestive system sucks, I forgot," Max mumbled pathetically.

The guy behind the door considered for a few moments too long,"We need to see you outside within five minutes, or you go to the nurse,"

Max groaned again,"Okay,"

He was hesitant, but he stepped outside the bathroom again. Max was alone once more, his heart still beating so fast he'd thought it would explode.

His phone suddenly chirping David's ringtone didn't help either.

He fumbled to pull it out of his pocket, and answered.

" _Max? Oh, kiddo! They called and said you were missing! What's going on? I tried to text!"_

Max couldn't help but struggle for words, recalling the five messages from David in the library he had ignored.

" _Max?"_

"Come get me," Max said, in a voice he hated hearing from himself.

" _Are you okay? Please tell me, I left when they called- I'm already about twenty minutes out,"_

Max couldn't answer, the flash of the old woman's eyes crossing his mind again.

" _Please, tell me you're okay?"_

"I'm okay,"

David sighed softly over the phone," _Okay. I'm coming now! I'll be there soon, alright?"_

"'Kay," Max hung up the phone and took a second to calm down.

When he could breathe, and his heart was in no danger of bursting, Max eased out of the stall and to the world to deal with the library incident.

And later, to deal with whatever the fuck he had just remembered.

* * *

David was bleary eyed as he drove down the highway, tired from little sleep. After driving home last night, he had to stop at the camp to finally pick up his stuff to take home. That was a near three hours on the road, and another forty to drive home from the camp. By the time he got home it was close to midnight. And on top of that, he was up at five to go in and get everything figured out at the camp before he absolutely had to leave to see Max. With the twoish hours driving, he'd have to leave by one. And there were mountains of papers yet to sort through. Some from Campbell's wrongdoings in the past, some from the camp's financial trouble, others requests for the Camp and invitations to send out. It was overwhelming, but David had his morning tea to go and tried his best to put on a happy smile. It was all for Max.

When he got a call at eight concerning Max, David felt his heart drop. He apologized over and over to Gwen, who looked irked even though she shooed him off to the car, and tried to keep himself from overreacting. At every stop sign, he tried to send a text or check his phone. He wanted to know if he was okay at least. Why he would run off was beyond David, he thought he would be settled there for a little while. David did need _some_ time to fix things at his house, despite the fact that he had the camp, Max, and his job hunt going on. Camp didn't pay for everything year round. He hadn't heard back from his usual seasonal gig, and that meant he needed _some_ job before he had to show them how much he made yearly. Of course, if worse came to worst- meaning _last resort_ \- David could call his parents to help him. That's a story for later, and David refused to dwell on that possibility.

For now, he slowed the car at a red light and found his fingers drumming against the wheel anxiously. At least Max was okay. He sounded quiet on the phone, but David had to hope he really was okay. His phone buzzed under his thigh and he picked it up off the seat.

 **Chikae!; 9:47 am; Found Max in the bathroom. Had stomach bug, he's okay. Asking 4 u.**

David breathed a sigh of relief, even more eager for the light to change so he could hurry up and get there already. He wanted to see Max just to be sure he was alright. He needed to remember to thank Chikae later, for helping look after him. Max could be a handful, but it was wonderful to have small moments if you got close enough to him. David remembered those moments anytime Max got hateful, knowing somewhere deep down Max could be so sweet. He smiled slightly remembering how small he looked when he offered David his hand to hold. THe gesture itself was something David was incredibly grateful for.

For now, it looked like plans had changed. David didn't have three more hours for the day, so that meant he either got time with Max now or he didn't get any at all. He hoped Max would be okay with the time change. Maybe he could take the kid to Toasters! It was great for breakfast, and they could talk there too! After that, maybe shopping somewhere. David didn't know for sure, but he wanted to do something if Max let him! He wanted to try!

David, in a little fit of frustration despite his attempted good mood, smacked the radio's knob to off when he heard a 'back to school' ad. He returned his hands to the wheel, fuming a little. It wasn't that school was starting so much as he was worried Max wouldn't be home in time for the first day. It wasn't a huge deal, but it meant something to David, at least. He had to go get a new bag for him, and school supplies. He had no idea what school district he was in, there was so much to do but David had no idea how to get it all done and still keep seeing Max. He was trying, like everything else, he wanted to try. He hadn't even started on the guest room, he hadn't painted or washed the sheets, or cleaned up too much for a while. He still had to clean the house after going to camp for three months. It would be a dusty nightmare. The only interaction the house had was a neighbour stopping in every now and then to water his plants, which he proudly kept in a large-windowed sun room. And reminded of cleaning, how would Max like the house? Not that he had an option, but… David gripped the wheel a little tighter. Why did everything feel so _tense_? It wasn't like him to get like this, and he didn't like it at all. Taking a few breaths, David calmed down as he exhaled. Things would work out just fine. That was that!

...Right?

* * *

 _Who was that kid?_

Why couldn't Max remember?

Max held the jacket in his hands once again. His bed was made, the books stuffed into his bag, which was safely tucked away, and he had an apple sitting in his lap. He couldn't eat right now, he felt sick. _Fucking remember_. That kid hadn't crossed his mind for years. He had forgotten his name, forgotten his face. Everything. That house was so damn awful, he blacked out chunks of it. He remembered he hated it, and remembered that fucking woman, but he had dropped the guy from his memory. He had reason, Max knew that. What it was… Max couldn't remember. He knew the biggest chunk of time he was in that house, that kid wasn't there. Why? Had the bitch killed him?

Max felt chills run over his skin. The jacket made a quiet noise as it shifted between tight fists. Hw couldn't do it. He was getting flickers of memories, but he couldn't remember where that kid went. If he died, if he killed himself. Max had no clue. He couldn't remember.

Even so, Max didn't get the chance to think on it too hard. The door opened and Chikae entered, not looking too happy with him. Max would have been at least a touch intimidated if he wasn't so shaken up.

Chikae lifted a chair from the desk and dropped it in front of Max's bed,"So, what happened?"

Max knew he meant with the morning, but he couldn't help but get a touch angry because he couldn't remember what happened with the other guy. He checked his attitude, lest he make this guy angry and get on his bad side.

"My stomach has been fucked up since last night," He grumbled, staring right back at the man.

Chikae pursed his lips,"Really? That's interesting. Because _usually_ …" Chikae leaned forward and crossed his arms on the back of the chair,"Protocol for a runner says check the bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen, then everywhere else,"

"Maybe your goons broke protocol," Max scowled.

Chikar shook his head,"No. I have the footage from this morning, and I alone have authority over it and where it ends up unless I find out you left the property," He looked at Max with a tired gaze,"Tell me you didn't leave the property? I don't need to deal with the guys in the office anymore than necessary,"

"I didn't leave," Max stated- it was true, to be fair- but his scowl stayed firmly in place,"Happy?"

Chikae smiled a bit,"Very. You're not a bad kid, and I don't honestly care what you do as long as you're safe and I don't get any trouble," He hummed,"You wanna tell me where you went?"

"No,"

"Alrighty," Chikae hummed, standing and pushing the chair to the side,"Try and eat, David is on his-"

The door opened for the second time that morning and in came in a frenzied David, looking immediately worried.

"...way," Chikae grinned and shrugged in his chair at Max.

Max had a sinking feeling this would not be an encounter he could roll his eyes at.

David saw him and came to the side of the bed to sit down,"Max! You scared me! Are you okay, kiddo? I tried to be here as soon as I could,"

"David I'm _fine_ ," Max grumbled,"I told you that,"

David turned a surprisingly stern gaze on Max,"Don't give me that! I panicked, I didn't know if you had run off for good or hurt yourself or, or, something _awful_ happened," He said, helpless,"I just want to keep you safe! You know that!"

Max, usually, would at least have the good sense to look away a little shame-faced. Today, he just wanted to be left the fuck alone to think. Why did he even ask David to come here? He was just gonna be obnoxious and stress Max out more, in the end. He scowled at the counselor.

"Well fuck your keeping me 'safe'. I can take care of my own ass," He snarled, getting out of bed and away from him,"If I knew you were just gonna come here and bitch I would have told you to stay home,"

David frowned at him, looking a little like a kicked puppy,"I just thought-"

"Yeah, you thought _wrong_ , David," He snapped,"Fuck you,"

David looked less frantic, but far more upset,"Max, I… why do we do this every time?"

Before Max could make some snippy reply, Chikae clapped his hands together and looked between both of them,"This sounds like a need for some guidance, don't you think?"

David looked at his hands in his lap, and Max seethed,"Back up, nail polish. This isn't your fucking problem,"

Chikae smiled easily,"First off, it is. The kids in this hall are mine to look after, and as the only trained psychologist in the building, I'm equally the therapist for these issues," His smile turned somewhat stale,"Now we play this my way, or maybe I don't turn such a blind eye to those tapes,"

David looked up, confusion evident on his face, but Max pointed at him with a glare,"Don't ask,"

"Agreed?"

Max hated it, but he knew if he argued then the library was as good as gone,"... _Fine_. Bastard," He crossed his arms.

Chikae hummed,"Good," He turned a soft smile to David,"We'll start off simple- why do you think you're upset?"

David sighed quietly,"I… I wanted today to be perfect, and I had so much planned… I had to work but I wanted to get it done before I got here so I could just focus on making Max have fun," he wanted to continue, but a yawn cut through and he held up a hand,"...Excuse me,"

Chikae nodded,"So you had planned today and feel like it's ruined, now?"

David nodded.

Max wanted to scream. Chikae was a fucking _traitor_. He was taking David's side immediately, like Max was always the problem. He just wanted time to himself, to read and think and be left the fuck alone. He hadn't had that option for a long time, because camp had little to no boundaries. He had really needed to work to get himself lost enough to be alone. And even then, Nikki was sneaky enough to find him occasionally. That library was _nice_. It was empty, and quiet, and he knew he was absolutely alone. Why couldn't he just exist in peace? Now he had David in a hissy fit, and Chikae throwing the blame at Max. Stupid, conniving, piece of-

"Did you ask Max about these plans?"

 _What_?

David looked a touch surprised,"I mean, I asked what he wanted to do today… He didn't reply, just read it… I thought we would both like what I had set out,"

"What'd you have planned?"

David shifted, and Max stood by and listened, still taken off guard,"I was gonna take him out to lunch- or I guess breakfast this early- and go to a movie or shopping somewhere, and see if he… wanted… anything," David seemed to be tripping over his own words, as if he was really hearing himself for the first time.

"Max, how much of that would you want to do?"

" _Maybe_ lunch,"

Chikae looked to David again,"When you make these plans, you have to understand that Max has a totally different set of hobbies and interests than… most other kids, I would assume," He explained softly,"Max is in a new place, with a lot ahead of him. He may be overwhelmed or-,"

"Hey, I am _not_ -"

Chikae cut him off with a stronger tone," _Overwhelmed_ … or stressed. He may just want time to relax in a quiet place. Bringing lunch here could help keep the tension down. Next time, make plans _with_ Max, not _for_ Max. Can you do that?"

David slowly nodded, smiling just a touch,"Yessir! I can do that,"

Chikae returned the little smile and shifted to look at Max,"Now, what's eating at you, Max?"

Max sputtered for a moment, feeling angry but not very well able to communicate it,"I… he- you… just like that? Problem is fucking _fixed_?"

Chikae shook his head,"Not even close, no. But this _one_ issue is resolved, halfway. It's up to compromising, give and take," He explained.

Max wanted to protest the whole thing. He hated therapist. They always sounded too uptight and high and mighty to him. Always asked about the past, how the beatings made him feel, how he felt now. It was basically routine. He couldn't remember ever talking about current events with a therapist, no current home life issues. Now, Chikae hadn't even considered the idea of dipping into his past. Max was at a loss at the moment.

Max slumped his back against the wall, glaring down at the woodfloor, thinking quietly.

"Max?"

His eyes shot up to glower at David on the bed. Chikae held up a hand to David, asking him for quiet as he watched Max.

"You're incredibly hostile towards David, right now. Any reason why?"

Max felt his mood turn black at the situation,"I _told him_ I was fine and he still comes in here yelling about how worried he was! Like it's _my fault_ everyone of your shitty people panicked and called him to come down. I would have been fine at three- _like you fucking told me_ \- but _no_ ,"

Chikae hummed,"Okay, I could see how that could get on your nerves. TO be fair though, David wasn't yell-" He sympathized, but Max cut him off- he wasn't finished.

" _No_ , I'm not- He always steps in like… like the whole fucking world is his problem! If I tied my fucking shoelaces wrong, he would act like there was this long, convoluted undertone about my past and everything going on!" Max shouted,"I just- everything isn't the end of the goddamn world! Shit happens, let it happen," He shoved his hands in his pockets,"I just wanted some fuckin peace and quiet. I told him to get here because I thought he would just _sit there_ but no, my fucking bad, he's too much of a _drama queen_!" Max directed the last line at David with a sneer.

David winced, wringing his hands together.

Chikae tilted his head at Max,"You wanted him here?"

Max shot him a dirty look," _He_ called _me._ I just- stop twisting my fuckin words!"

"I didn't twist anything," Chikae said calmly,"You said you told him to come here. Why did you want him here?"

"I didn't!" Max barked,"I wanted to not be stuck in this fucking room by myself!"

Chikae lifted his head, surprise on his face. Max realized what he said and his face burned. David refused to look up, but it looked like he was very seriously thinking about everything Max said. At least he wasn't passing him off as a joke.

David spoke up before Max could take it back,"I'm sorry I get so… overbearing sometimes," He said, carefully,"Next time I'll consider what I'm trying to help with more carefully,"

Max stared at him, gripping the fabric of his sweatshirt with a deathgrip.

"Even if I'm just sitting here, I… I'm helping?" He asked, looking up to Max for a confirmation.

Max gave an unsure nod, not trusting his voice to convey what he needed so clearly.

David smiled in that stupid way he did, like he just _knew_ he was fixing things stitch by fucking stitch,"Okay. I can try to do that in the future. I want to help! Even if it's just by sitting here!"

Max gave a contrite nod again, not sure where to go from this point. He had just fought with David. It didn't end in tears, or a beating, or screaming at each other. It ended with I'm sorry? What was Max supposed to do with that? He couldn't be angry with David, he couldn't hide anywhere. He was stuck, being stared at by both of them as if it was some miracle they'd just finished. He turned away, rubbing his arm. He still had a lot on his mind. David couldn't help that, and he doubted anyone could help him fix it, but he needed to think. But David was here, and looking so hopelessly in awe at Max. Still, Max voiced what he needed to. He wasn't gonna be dragged around all day for some bullshit he didn't wanna be doing.

"Pick somewhere decent to eat," He grumbled, shifting off the wall he'd stood against and inched back to the bed to sit down,"But we're done after that,"

David smiled despite his words,"Okay!"

Chikae smiled at both of them,"Much better. I'll be around if you guys need me. Remember to sign out," He said cherrily.

David smiled brightly at him,"Thank you again, Chikae! For everything,"

Chikae seemed to pause in thought, and Max looked up at him with a searching look. He eventually nodded his head and stepped back out to the hall, leaving Max with David. The man began rambling about places to eat, and Max pretended to listen.

This whole morning had been a shit show compared to how he thought the day was gonna go. He had a new hiding place, to be fair. But what happened on the stairs, Max couldn't stop thinking back to. That damn kid- what was his name?. Max couldn't even remember the guys last name. He remembered how much it sucked when he was gone. But he had nothing to go off of as far as how he ended up leaving. Why did he care? Max couldn't remember quite a bit from early years, and blacked out a lot from a while ago. Why was this so much more important?

Because he wasn't _alone_.

That chilling thought left Max quiet for the ride to wherever David was taking him. He still felt a little sick to his stomach after the memory, but he could get something down at least. Or, he hoped he could.

"Hey, Max?" David interrupted the radio and turned it down a bit,"I know- well, I don't know. But I _feel_ like this can be very stressful, like Chikae said," he started, and Max was a little something-once again he hadn't found the word to describe David's words to him- that David had changed his phrasing.

"But I… I want to know, and it may be a little selfish to ask, if you were at all looking forward to signing those papers?" David ended on a cautious, withered note.

Max could say yes or no and they would both be true. Yes, because Max might have a decent living if David really was as nice as he seemed to be. Yes, because David made him hate his existence even a tiny amount less, which was a lot more than most people had done. Yes, because he could only hope that David's house would bring him some sort of stability. On the other, totally possible hand, No. David didn't seem like the type to be hateful or cruel, but Max still had no idea. He had hope that he wouldn't be, but that was all. And David could be an emotional wreck sometimes, and that meant weird things and crazy drama. It would be better than worrying someone would snatch you for repossession because your parents hadn't paid off the meth they got, Max thought, anything would be better than that. It was a toss up, but David apparently sensed that, too. How? Max drove himself crazy trying to answer that question.

"Are you nervous? Is that it?" David's voice was once again quiet.

Max hummed,"I thought I would be living on the fucking streets a few days ago," He said, honestly,"Life could be a lot fucking worse than you yelling at me for getting mud on the carpet,"

"Oh! I do actually have a scrub for that! I'll show you how to make it when... We- er, not the point?"

"Not even close," Max said, shutting his eyes.

"Oh. Well, uhm," David's halting reply was just noise in Max's ear,"If I.. hadn't shown up that night… what would have happened?"

"It doesn't matter. You showed up," Max averred plainly.

David frowned,"But if I hadn't-"

Max turned to narrowed his eyes in a dark look,"I would have figured it out. Stop getting stuck in the fucking past,"

David nodded quietly and looked to the road, focused on driving,"Well… I'm glad I came. If you're not excited about the adoption, I'll be excited for the both of us!"

Max rolled his eyes,"Whatever gets you through the day,"

David smiled anyways, happy to talk however much Max was up to talking,"Do you want quiet until we get there?"

"...no,"

In truth, Max was entirely sick of thinking about that memory, worrying about the library, and anything else. If David could get his mind off of it, cool. If not, Max would just tell him to shut up again. He seemed willing to do whatever Max would want, which could definitely work to his advantage. But for now, he was gonna let David talk until he was blue in the face.

"Okay! Hm… What about school?"

Max grimaced, nose scrunching at the thought,"What about it?"

"Well, we need to get you enrolled somewhere, and get some good school stuff so you're ready for it! What grade are you in?"

"Fifth," Max huffed darkly.

"I forgot how little you were still!" David chuckled brightly,"You act so much older, I forgot you were 10!"

"11 in October," Max mumbled, turning away as David mentioned his maturity.

David gasped," _What?_ "

Max raised an eyebrow at him,"What?"

"Your birthday is so close! It's just two months!" David was visibly excited,"What day?"

"The 26th." Max murmured,"I don't celebrate,"

David's cheerful expression turned sour,"What? Why not? Max, your birthday is the most special day ever!"

Max glowered,"Take a look at my fuckin life. You really think I'm _excited_ about the day I was _literally_ dumped into this world?"

David bit his lip, tapping the wheel,"Can we celebrate? I'd really like to try!"

"No. Move on,"

David shrunk a bit,"...Will you let me know if you change your mind?

"...Fine,"

David wasn't the happiest after that, but he was at least smiling a bit. Max doubted he would change his mind. He didn't really like big parties much, and he had a feeling that's exactly what David would end up doing. People he didn't even know, too much cake, loud music. Not Max's scene. He would much rather eat a little too much chocolate and ice cream with a book and call it a day. He tried to keep the conversation going. If he could just get David to start on a story, he wouldn't have to reply at all.

"When's yours?"

"Hm?" David glanced at him,"What?"

"Your birthday, dipshit,"

David smiled,"May 17th!" he announced proudly,"Usually my parents would take me out somewhere for cake, but lately it's just been me! Sometimes Gwen, if she isn't busy!"

Max listened quietly as David continued talking. He would much rather listen to the babbling then be expected to respond to it in a mood like this. David was more than happy to share his stories on a whim, so once Max got him started, he could keep going for an hour and maybe pause for a breath.

While he listened, Max pulled his phone from his pocket.

 **Calendar May 2019 Add New Annual Event Enter Event Name**

 _ **David's Birthday.**_

 **Confirm** _ **David's Birthday**_ **Event? OK.**

Max slipped the phone back into his pocket, casting a wavering glance up at David as he talked.

There was still time to fix the day, why try to waste it?

* * *

After lunch, David dropped Max off back at the temp home. Max returned to his room to grab the book he'd taken from his bag. He still had plenty to read, and tonight he could make a trip to the library if he needed to, just to stock up on the other books in case he couldn't make it down there. As soon as he opened the binding, Max flipped to the page he'd stopped on and felt himself wrapped in again. His fingers pulled at the binding tag, slowly peeling it off even as he delved deeper into the world of Mr. Crepsley and Darren Shan. If he was gonna pass off this book as his own, he needed to get rid of the library tag first. Not that he would read too much outside of his room. Kid were loud around here, and he didn't need another incident like the jacket. Speaking of, Max shut his eyes with a groan as he realized he had forgotten to give it back to David _again_. It was cold outside, how did _David_ keep forgetting? Whatever.

Max continued to scan the pages, peeling at the tag. Eventually, he got the whole thing without much trouble. He stood slowly, eyes still glued to the page, walking slowly across the room to his trash can. In the tag went, and Max returned to his bed. His shoes were slowly toed off, kicked under the bed, and his sock-clad toes scratched the back of his ankle. He lay on the bed. It had been far too long since he got his hands on a decent book. He thought passively that, if he _did_ ask David for something for his birthday, it would be this set. He had no idea how much they went for online, but he hoped it was inexpensive enough that David wouldn't make it a big deal for getting it. Hell, Max still needed school stuff that David would waste money on. He probably had every right to bitch if Max asked for the series. The hopeful thought was quickly scrapped, and Max decided that he would keep it to himself.

Full belly, warm bed, and a cozy spot on the bed eventually led to his downfall. Max lost track of time. He was all too invested in the story. Aside from shifting on the bed now and then, Max was hell-bent on finishing the book. That's why he was a bit surprised when Chikae opened the door.

"Dinner in a half hour," He hummed, deep voice and creak of the door cutting straight through the otherwise silent room.

Max stared for a moment at him,"What time is it?"

"Five something," Chikae answered,"They were a little early getting stuff together,"

Max nodded slowly. It absolutely didn't feel like he'd sat still for that long. When was the last time he had been able to do that? If ever?

"You hungry now?" Chikae asked,"I'm going to the break room for something quick to eat before dinner. You could bring your book if you wanna,"

Max thought on the offer for a moment. Honestly, he was a little hungry since he'd eaten a bit early with David. He eventually slid off the bed, turning the corner of the page inwards before closing the book.

"Fuck it, sure," He agreed, deciding he didn't feel like putting his shoes on.

Chikae gave a relaxed smile, pushing the door open a little further and letting Max out to the hall,"What book have you got?"

Max was iffy about answering,"...Cirque du Freak,"

"Sounds a little cooky," Chikae murmured in reply,"What's it about?"

"People doing stuff," Max answered plainly, stuffing the book into his pocket with just a little difficulty.

" _Oh_ , well now I'm hooked," Chikae commented sarcastically, grinning.

Max rolled his eyes, but a smirk pulled the corners of his lips,"You do this a lot?"

Chikae glanced at him, figuring out what he meant after a few seconds,"Oh, to the break room? Not really. There aren't too many kids in my hall in the first place, and most of them just shy away when I tell them to get something done,"

"You're a big dude," Max commented bluntly.

Chikae lifted a hand to his chest,"Words can _hurt_ , Max,"

Max huffed a breath of a laugh,"What happened to those fuckin' sticks and stones?"

Chikae shrugged,"Like you said, I'm a big guy. Just a big softie too," He grinned.

"Sure seems like it," Max agreed.

They walked quietly the rest of the way, which was only a little ways passed the cafeteria doors. He led Max to locked doors, which he pulled out a key card for. He nudged the doors open and let Max in first, and the doors shut with a soft click. The room wasn't too much bigger than Max's room. It had three folding tables, with a wall covered end to end with lockers. A few of the staff sat around, watching a low-volumed TV in the corner. Some news anchor spoke about a string of violent crimes somewhere, but Max didn't care enough to pay attention. He followed Chikae to the corner of the room where they both sat down at a table. After poking his keys around on the loop, Chikae found a tiny golden one and went to the lockers. Out he pulled a box of nutty bars, and Max could see there was plenty more snacks where that came from.

"Want one? I have these, almond joys, starburst…"

"Nutty bar," Max said simply, pulling out his phone to check for texts from the group.

Nikki and Neil had chatted for a while, after Neil finally replied.

 **Neil; 2:07 pm;** _ **David's taking you in? Like, legally?**_

 **Nikki; 2:26 pm;** _ **ya of course. david can't just grab him and take him home. wtf dude.**_

 **Neil; 2:30 pm;** _ **I was just asking, damn. I mean if you're cool with it, good for you! We need to hang out sometime.**_

 **Nikki; 2:33 pm;** _ **my mom is having a party next week :P she said kids could come or go, doesnt matter 2 her.**_

 **Neil; 2:49 pm;** _ **I can ask. Is Max busy or what?**_

 **Neil; 3:05 pm;** _ **Y'ello?**_

 **Nikki; 3:26 pm;** _ **idk. i only txt him here.**_

Max tapped out a quick reply before tucking his phone back in his pocket;

 **Max; 5:24 pm;** _ **I might still be at this fuckin temp home. I'll let you know.**_

Picking up the snack Chikae had handed him, Max broke a chunk off the end and popped it in his mouth. They sat around for close to ten minutes, Max pulled out his book and Chikae checked his phone and emails. The quiet was broken by Chikae's beeper, to which he sighed. He stood and grabbed his phone after checking the little machine.

"Gotta run, you can finish in the cafeteria before dinner," Chikae told him, turning the key in his locker again and led Max back outside.

Left in the cafeteria again, Max found no empty tables. He settled for one with a girl in a soft purple and black striped sweater, who was picking at her food. He sat a few seats away, just wanting to read his book in peace. He couldn't help glancing over though, and saw the familiar burns on her arm. Max shared those marks regretfully. He glanced up at her face, looking bored and a little lonesome as she scrolled on her phone, reading something. Max shifted and rolled his sleeves up subtly. The white and pink burns on his forearms now showed clearly.

He went back to his book. If she spoke up, great. If not, nothing lost.

After Max turned a page, she spoke softly.

"Hey,"


	9. Too Late

The week went by a lot faster than Max had originally thought it would. Most of the time in his room entailed reading and watching videos, considering there wasn't much else to do. Occasionally Celine would come visit- relaxed and unhappy with her quiet room, she brought headphones to sit and coexist with the boy- and Max found himself relishing in the fact that he had made a friend in a way, now that the days weren't so slow moving and lonely. It was a lot less monotone when someone was around to talk with. He had Chikae, somewhat, but he worked so he wasn't always open to chat. They didn't do much, most of the time Max still flipped through the pages when she opened the door and laid down on the bed. They knew very little about one another, but everyday they found out something else to add, like the fact that they were both in the process of being adopted. Celine had a family somewhere in state, an older brother named Toby, and two moms. Max joked briefly that he might end up with two dads, considering David's flamboyant attitude. That made her laugh, and they both sat in a comfortable quiet after that. Most of the time, she read stories on her phone, whatever Fanfiction she felt like, and Max stuck to his paper books.

Max laid awake for hours trying to remember the kid in his flash of a memory. He still had nothing, no idea who it could be. Flashes of old memories had begun flooding his dreams, leaving him with sudden wake ups and tossing and turning at night. He wanted to remember, because all he had right now was some distant feeling of anger, and fear. He didn't know if it came from his feelings towards the old bitch or towards the kid himself, but it drove Max to anger himself when he thought too hard on it. He didn't tell Chikae or David, deciding it was something small enough he could keep it to himself. Once he found out a name, he might take it to Chikae to look it up or something. Until then, Max stared at the wall as he struggled to sleep peacefully.

When lights out hit and he woke from a fit of restless sleep, Max got up and out of his room. Silent steps, no creaking doors, no issues. The first night he got back to the library, he went to that door for staff only, and it turns out there was a door upstairs that Max could get into. That cut a lot of time off his trip. He left a folded paper taped over the latch plate, keeping it from actually shutting. The heavy door stayed resting closed, though, which meant unless someone walked up to it, there was no chance of someone finding it out. That left Max the absolute freedom to go back and forth at night. He took as many books as he could the first night, hoping it would last for a while, until his next visit. After going through Cirque so quickly, he knew he would need a new book when he finished. He roamed around to find something new, that he hadn't read yet, to keep him busy. The title that caught his eye was none other than _Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children._ The creepy girl on the front cover added interest. Something about an orphanage, and Max had seen previews for a movie of it a while back. Worth a shot at least.

A whole week gone by. A week of David visiting, a week of the surprisingly delicious cafeteria food, of his own room, of a new friend. Things were certainly different from the last time he'd stayed in a home in between 'permanent' housing. When Max thought of that, he wondered how permanent he'd be at David's. He wasn't sure if his worries were based off of the notion that this was objectively his _last chance_ for a decent place, or that he was so worked up over… well, over David himself. David was the only guy to put in this much effort to see him. The social workers were supposed to have gone to his house once this week, and promised a second visit to check out his house and make sure Max had a room, it wasn't filthy, etc. They had also, according to Chikae been calling him at odd hours to check papers, calling references, etc. To put up with all the double checking, pestering, and questions that they were putting him through, David was serious about this. He wanted to take Max home, badly. That thought sat heavy in his stomach, even though Max ought to be happy about it. It put pressure on him, more than he had ever had when going to a new house. When would Max fuck this up? How long before David got sick of the cussing, the fights, the bullshit Max could cause? The process repeated itself over and over. Max tried his best to keep busy and avoid those intrusive, wandering thoughts with reading or talking to Celine.

Speaking of Celine, she had actually ended up finding the library on her own. Max told her not to tell anyone, even despite his worry that she would. He couldn't lose this place, he needed the wasted time reading. If he had something to do, maybe he could stop feeling his heart jump to his throat when he thought about living with David. Through the whole week, David had come over and either brought dinner with him or invited Max out to eat somewhere he liked. Lately, he'd begun to ask if Max would prefer quiet when he came for a visit. He double checked whether Max felt comfortable or not, looked after him in ways Max wasn't used to. He wasn't hitting him, and he was being fed even though David could have let the home take care of meals.. Max thought that covered the basics of child care, but David went further at every turn. Sometimes, Max even looked forward to leaving. David hadn't let him down, and he had a swelling, unabashed hope that he never would. Max was wary of that hope, of course, knowing how bad it felt to be let down, but he tried to leave his thoughts unchecked as much as he could.

At the moment, Max was deciding which book to bring with him to the cafe for breakfast. He was going down to eat with Celine soon, they had both been up way too early and hung around his room until they got hungry.

Celine was sitting near the door, her back on the floor and her feet up on the wall, one was pushing the door back and forth to keep herself busy. Long blonde hair was messily braided and tied back, leaving pale, freckled skin uncovered. When Max first saw her, he didn't notice, but when he actually looked at her, it turned out she had two different colored eyes. Heterochromia, apparently. He tried not to stare, but it was cool to look at. One eye was a deep blue shade, and the other was a greenish grey. She said she used to wear contacts for it, because her last foster parents didn't like the imperfection. She raved about it, said one day she wanted to dye her hair two different colors to match. She was definitely a little wild like Nikki, but in a much more controlled way.

Finally deciding on a book, Max tugged the handle to free the door from her influence, walking out to the hall,"Coming, two tone?"

Celine blew a raspberry at his words, but in a few moments caught up to Max and walked with him down the hall. When they got out to the cafe and got whatever food they wanted, they both sat at a table close to the wall. Max ate and flipped pages in his book, enjoying the simplicity of the day so far. Today could be a good day, and thinking back, yesterday wasn't too bad either.

 _After tugging his hoodie back on after it came out of the wash, Max set to shoving his books into piles of Read or Unread, so he knew which part of the series he was on. Celine was waiting by the door to go downstairs, laying on the floor with her feet against the wall. He and Celine turned when the door pushed open, making the girl yank her foot back from the edge with a small sulk._

 _Chikae glanced down at her and to Max, a basket of muffins in his hands,"Hey, guys, you want a muffin?"_

 _Max tilted his head at the guy, quietly noting his now pale yellow nails,"Where'd you get them from?" The basket looked somehow familiar._

 _Chikae grimaced a bit,"David dropped them off after I left, when he brought you back,"_

 _Oh, right- Max had glanced to the backseat and saw the little basket under papers and David's coat when they left earlier; he must have brought them in right before he left for home,"What, did he burn them?"_

 _Chikae shook his head,"No! No, not that, I'm pretty sure they're fine," He scratched the back of his neck,"It's awfully sweet but… I'm allergic to poppy seeds,"_

 _Max snickered, picking up his book as he walked over to take one,"Figures," He hummed,"Can't you eat a different one?"_

" _I would but I don't wanna risk it. Cross contamination and all that," Chikae shrugged,"The other ones look good, but not good enough for a trip to the hospital,"_

" _What kinds are there?" Celine asked from the floor, tilting her head to look,"Other than the poppy things?"_

 _Chikae dug into his pocket. A little card was produced, light green on one side with a hand-written Thank you! Chikae read from it._

" _Uh.. blueberry, chocolate, or the lemon poppy seed," He replied._

 _Max took a chocolate one, tucked the book under his arm, and peeled the paper,"What's on the note?"_

 _Chikae looked a bit uncomfortable,"He… said thanks for looking after you, the therapy and other things. It really was a sweet gesture," He said, shrugging again as if to say 'What can you do?"_

 _Max's expression darkened a touch,"Yeah, David's sickly sweet," He bit into the muffin, grabbing a blueberry for Celine and handing it to her,"Sweet enough to put holes in your teeth,"_

 _Chikae rolled his eyes,"Yeah, I get it. I'm just gonna put them in the break room, but I thought I'd ask you guys first,"_

 _Celine, with a mouthful of her sugary snack, raised the muffin to him,"Many thanks!"_

 _Chikae grinned,"No problem. David's coming back tomorrow?"_

 _Max hummed around the mouthful he had, nodding._

" _Alright," Chikae tipped his head and left the room, leaving Celine to catch the door with her foot again, swinging it back and forth as she ate._

* * *

David's feet scuffed the concreted heavily as he slumped up the stepping stones to his front door. His body ached, his head was throbbing from all the rushing around, and his feet were cold and wet. He did do his best to brighten his smile even as the shift got worse, but as soon as he got to the car, a shaking sigh passed his lips and he let the weight of the night finally sink his shoulders. He cursed the day he thought working at a movie theatre was an easy job. Not only that, but he had to run back to the camp on his way home as well to finally pick up the last of his things out of the cabin. He'd been too busy or forgot to for so long, tonight was the best chance he had.

David had spent the last week running between four or five places at all times. The first was the Camp. He still had hundreds of files and bills and debts to sort through with a financial advisor, trying his best to get things figured out and get a solid number on how much the camp owed after Campbell went under. He had no idea what he would do with that information once he got it, but at least he could help out and be involved enough that he could have a say.

The second was Max. he drove a solid two hours up to the home, both ways, which tore his day in half without even trying. He didn't tell Max that, of course, lest the boy worry he was bothering David or think it would be something to make him feel guilty. David would admit he didn't like the drive, but it was worth it if he got to see Max at the end of it.

The third was training. The adoption agency strongly advised him to take a training course before he took Max home. There were videos to watch, meetings he went to. It was a lot on how to handle a child who had been through bad homes. David went willingly, happy he could be helping Max even if the boy didn't know it. Sometimes, David felt sick thinking about the things Max had been through, and had to stop the videos for a bit to calm himself down, but he always picked them back up after a bit and kept going. Some things he even listened to while he picked through papers at the camp.

The fourth was his house. David nitpicked over the dusting, vacuuming, new sheets, washing all the bedding, keeping the TV wiped down, kitchen straightened. He worked over every room with a fine tooth comb. Normally, he was a very clean person. After camp was over, he came home and cleaned up a touch everyday. Now, whenever he was home he cleaned until he felt the incessant cry for sleep from his brain. He was told he had had only until tuesday before he had a home visit, and he couldn't stand the idea of them thinking he was unfit to take Max in because of his house. So, he scrubbed everything down and cleaned until his bones ached. It turns out, they had to cancel the visit and rescheduled until the weekend, which meant David went back over the things he had rushed and fretted over them endlessly.

His fifth place was part time training jobs. David had still not heard about his off season job, and that meant he needed somewhere else to work. He had gotten one for every night of the week except thursday, and he had been to every one of them. The only problem was that his days were so busy he only had time to train during third shift. He picked jobs with flexible schedules to make sure he had time for the camp until everything was picked up over there.

In short, David was absolutely exhausted. He slept whenever he got the chance. Right now, he only had about five hours to sleep before he needed to get up and leave to get to Gwen and drop off forms, and then to Max to take him to dinner at four.

David pulled the key from his pocket, blinking wearily as the sun shined against the windchimes on the front porch. Once the door was unlocked, he dropped his bag and keys next to the front door. Struggling to stay upright, he trudged the few steps to his couch and collapsed onto it, sloppily covering himself with the blanket that hung off the back of it. He nuzzled down against the soft fabric, eyes shutting with no hope of opening again until his alarm went off. He drifted off thinking of his week so far.

 _~~Monday~~_

 _David sighed easily as he sat back on the floor, staring at the half-scrubbed grout between the kitchen tiles. He'd been here near an hour and still only got half the room done. He did need to leave soon for a shift at a diner in the city, which meant he'd need to pick this up when he got home or sometime tomorrow._

 _He'd taken Max to a movie earlier that day, a memory he grimaced at despite the lack of fighting. He had spent a whopping sixty dollars for both tickets and snacks, a price David nearly choked upon seeing. He shoved the receipt into his pocket before Max got any hint of it, following the boy to get a slushy before the show started._

 _David picked at the cuticle on his thumb, reminded bruntly that his financial situation was in a severe decline. One of these jobs had to stick, because it was really his only option if he had any hope of taking Max in. If he didn't find something, they'd laugh at his seasonal income and promptly tell him to fuck off. David shut his eyes and swallowed, feeling his chest begin a timid burn while stress clutched his heart again._

 _Knees sore and legs wobbly, he braced himself on the counter and stood up to retrieve a tums from the bathroom cupboard. If he didn't get the job soon, he'd have to ask for a bit of money from his parents. He wasn't ashamed of asking for help, far from it considering how much work he'd put in trying to help himself, he just distanced himself from his parents specifically._

 _David's fingers picked at the label on the bottle as he thought about the reason. No, his father had not been over the line cruel, nor did his past compare even remotely to Max's, but he still couldn't find it in himself to trust his parents completely. His father was a man with a 'spare the rod and spoil the child' mindset, which meant very rarely did he ever spare the rod. Growing older and thinking back, David wondered passively if the extent of the discipline he'd face could have been labelled abusive. If not, the emotional manipulation was running rampant in his home._

 _Keeping true to his hate for the idea of 'spoiling' the child, David saw little to nothing of his parents. His father took his mother out to fancy dinners, on vacations, to fun parks. David may have gone to a handful, but they were spaced few and far between. His father explained that his mother deserved the world, and men had to work to give it to them. David was spoiled, David was a brat, David was ungrateful. All things that had been repeated throughout his time at home. His being 'spoiled' meant David would need to work to save up with allowance to go on trips with them, to get sweets, to get anything he wanted. Saving up five dollars a week would take years to get to a plane ticket. He'd only managed once, and that memory haunted him._

 _Shaking free from his past David dropped two antacids into his palm and lifted them to his lips. Keeping in mind things he'd learned this year with Max at camp, he was aware that yes, sometimes kids need to be hit. But David didn't know if he had it in himself to ever follow through with a physical punishment; especially with a kid like Max. To raise a hand to someone who had been abused and neglected for so long...No, David felt in his gut that he would not be able to. Something else, but never that._

 _Feeling cold at the reminder of past mistakes, David returned to the kitchen to dutifully scrub the floor again._

* * *

Max spent the day in his room as usual, with Celine on his bed upside down and her feet on the wall, not unlike most other days. Whatever this girl's deal was with her feet being higher than her head, Max wasn't about to question it. Mostly because it was pretty fucking funny when she dropped her phone on her face.

He was halfway through whatever part of the series he was on, focused more on the vampire war than anything else. He had to make a trip back to the library soon though, this was his last book besides Mrs. Peregrine. Maybe he would take Celine this time. She didn't read paper books very much, so he wondered if she would even want to go. Either way, Max had to go. He hoped she would keep her mouth shut like she said, at least.

He also had to figure out what he was gonna take with him to Dinner with David. Sometime around four he would be here, which left him plenty of time to decide.

" _Max!"_

 _Max paused and turned, seeing Celine hurrying towards him with a brightness in her eyes,"I have got to show you something,"_

 _Max narrowed his eyes, hesitant to follow,"What is it?"_

" _Just come on, I promise you'll love it!" She grinned and waved to gesture him to follow._

 _Figuring he had nothing better to do, Max stepped up again and followed her down the hall at a casual pace. She had changed while she was up here, no longer wearing the dark blue sweater, but now donning a thick, yellow long-sleeve shirt and shorts. She had flip flops on, and Max wondered how she hadn't frozen in the AC._

 _Celine led him back towards his room, then a turn down a familiar hall. Max felt something adjacent to panic seize his stomach as he realized where she was going. She found it? No way. Max had no clue, and he had even found the other doors. How could she? It wasn't possible, that's how._

 _Max continued to think that until he found the soles of his shoes standing on the increasingly familiar carpet of the library. Something hard sunk in his gut, wondering how long it would be before something bad happened._

 _Celine could be followed by some snotty kids, she could accidentally tell someone, she could blackmail Max. If he pretended he didn't know about the library, she could just blabber about it anyways, but if he told her he knew, she could use it against him for whatever she wanted. Max would be screwed. What options did he have? What could he do?_

" _Max," Celine's voice cut in and he looked at her, a smile on her face,"How fucking cool is this?"_

 _Max blanked for a reply._

" _Does anyone even use this anymore?" She walked further into the room, brushing her fingers against the bookshelves gently,"Does anyone remember it?" She lifted her fingers to see dust._

 _Again, Max's voice failed him and he could say nothing. He still had no idea how to handle this, right now he just had to gauge her reaction._

 _Celine spun on her heel, eyed wide,"If this place is abandoned, couldn't we hang out here?" She glanced up and squinted at the sky light,"Unless it collapses. That would suck,"_

 _Max eyed her warily, "You don't want to tell anyone?"_

 _She turned to him again and shook her head,"Hell no! They wouldn't let us back in here, I bet. I mean, they shut it off for a reason, right?"_

 _Max hummed, and said little else._

* * *

David wanted to scream and cry at the same time.

He woke up from his 'brief' nap to banging on the door. Instantly, he scrambled to tear his phone from the charger and check the time. His world crumbled- it was 6. Two hours late to pick up Max, and, by the time he actually got there, it would be four hours late. He had missed a call and two texts from Max, a call from Chikae, and four messages from Gwen about papers he was supposed to drop off when he left. He was frozen, until another knock slammed against the door.

" _David_ ," Gwen's voice sounded angry,"Open the goddamn door!"

Davey felt some familiarity in those words, and a flash of a recollection took him by surprise.

 _David jumped in his seat as his father slammed his fist against the door._

" _Open this damn door, David!"_

Breathing hard at the sudden recollection of his father's voice, Davey shook himself free of the fear clutching his chest. Jumping to life, David struggled against the blankets clinging to his feet and nearly tripped over them. Once he managed to kicked away from them, the door was unlatched and he tugged it free from the frame. Gwen scowled at him, hands on her hips.

"Where the fuck have you been? What happened to _two_?" She snapped.

David covered his face, the many things he had yet to do washing over him,"I overslept! I'm so sorry, I just-," He shook his head and braced himself,"The papers are in my office, I need to go get Max!"

Gwen rolled her eyes and walked around the couch to the door leading to his office. David tore off, up the stairs to his bedroom, pulling a button down out of the closet and nearly breaking the hangar in his rush. He tossed it on the bed, then knelt down beside it to retrieve his shoes from under the box spring

Oh, how could he have overslept? He set an alarm for one, he had only gone to bed at six! He should have been okay to wake up even if the alarm didn't go off! Had he really done that much last night?

David tried to put his watch on his wrist but his fingers slipped; his hands were starting to shake. Happy thoughts, David, the red haired man reminded himself as he tried again, just think of how things will change when Max moved in!

His fingers kept slipping on the tiny pieces of his watch, why won't it just go through? Why won't it just work like it's supposed to? Just, it's so simple and he knew what what he was doing but it's still just not working!

The thin strings that held the man's mind together were suddenly pulled tight, too tight for anything to handle. That small voice slipped through and started to whisper again, words festering and rotting any happy thoughts the man had. Tinkering and tinkering with the tiny knots on the watch, the eruption of doubt exploded in tune to the sound of the watch slipping from his grasp and hitting the floor.

Oh god, what if he couldn't do this? He could barely hold his life together right now. Debt piling up that wasn't even his, half asleep at all times, no work planned outside of camp, and his goddamn shaking hands barely stable enough to put on a simple watch. Such a tiny thing, so delicate and yet it lay on the ground in front of him, the glass cracked across the middle. Delicate, and destroyed. How could he be a parent or at least a role model when he couldn't handle this stress of even preparing a kid? Couldn't keep a watch from breaking, and he expected to protect a human life? A child? A kid- no, _Max_.

His vision started to blur, which only served to make the situation worse as now he really couldn't do anything. Thoughts began to dig in, rooting themselves deep enough that all David could hear were the hateful burrowing thoughts. What was he doing? He had no idea about parenting, Max hated him most of the time. David was never sure what was the right or the wrong thing to say was, he just spoke and prayed Max didn't look at him with that seething scowl. Gwen said it was stupid, why didn't he listen? Idiot, idiot!

"David?"

David blinked a few times, clearing his vision as he looked up.

Gwen was a frowning at him, a tilted head looking him over,"You're crying,"

David lifted a hand to his face, touching fingers to his cheeks; she was right,"O-oh,"

He lifted both hands, counting slowly in his head as he wiped his face clean. He didn't have the time to feel sorry for himself. Max was waiting, and he at least deserved an explanation for why David was gone. He finished buttoning his shirt with one hand, stepping around Gwen as he tugged his phone out of his pocket to text Max.

 **Max; 4:46 pm;** _ **What the fuck?**_

 **Max; 5:47 pm;** _**My phone's at 3%, asshole. Get here now, so I can kick your ass.**_

David winced at the messages, biting his lip as he replied.

 **David; 6:04 pm;** _**I'm so sorry!**_

David pressed enter on the phone and started a second message to let him know he was on the way, but his phone screen blinked a few times and then showed a 0% charge icon, blacking out. David whimpered quietly, feeling worry crawl up his throat. He pushed his phone back in his pocket, grabbed his keys, and bolted out the door.

The memory of his father haunted him despite his attempts to think of _anything_ else.

" _Open this damn door, David!"_

 _David hurried off his bed, leaving clothes he was packing strewn across the sheets. He unlocked the door and swung it open, looking up at his father's rage timidly. The man scowled at him, then the bed cluttered with clothes._

" _Your mother tells me you saved up enough money for a trip?" He asked, voice deceivingly calm._

 _Unsure, David nodded,"Yes sir," He admits quietly._

" _You saved up for a plane ticket?"_

" _Yes sir,"_

 _His father's expression twisted immediately,"And what about food, hm? Going to Paris, you really think I'm going to pay for you to have a meal in a five star restaurant? Hm?"_

 _David felt something cut through his chest, like he'd just realized what he was saying. He had forgotten about any extra money, he only saved up for the one ticket, nothing else._

" _No, sir, I-" David began to stammer, hoping he hadn't riled his father up too much._

" _Don't interrupt me!" He barked incredulously, despite David's respect,"What about gas? I have to cart you around in my car, you ought to pay for getting place to place! And the stupid souvenirs you're gonna want, and the hotel! You ought to be ashamed, getting your mother's hopes up!"_

" _I'm sorry, sir, I didn't-" David tried to quietly apologize, fearing the repercussions when the man thought his mother had been disrespected._

" _I said don't interrupt me!" His father stepped into the room then, and David gasped as he jumped away-_

David shook his head, jumping on the brake a little too fast at the red light as he scrubbed his hands through his hair, forcing himself to focus. The events that ensued after that was nothing good, and David didn't need it in his head. He needed to pay attention to his current issues, not the ones in the past.

He held the wheel again, clammy hands slick against the leather.

How to fix this, how to fix this...

* * *

 _The room was dark. Downstairs, whooping screams and illiterate cackling trickled through the drywall to Max's ears. He sat still, body heavy and unable to move. He was in his room? Yeah. The grimey blankets were cold under his hands, but Max felt fatigued just considering moving them. He stared at the door, something twisting his stomach. Something was about to happen. What was happening?_

 _And then-_ _ **Bang**_ _._

 _The door flew open, revealing the enraged man that Max hated with every fiber of his soul. Still unable to move, Max felt his heartbeat pick up in fear._

 _He blinked, and his eyes struggled to focus on the dark boy on the bed as he slurred,"W...where is-s is that lil' c-c-unt?"_

 _A voiceless Max stared on, wanting desperately to run but still stuck fast to the bed._

" _That little f-faggot," He snarled,"The brown haired b-bitch,"_

 _The kid? The_ _ **kid**_ _._

 _He had gotten away?_

" _What?" He spat,"Don't wa… wanna snitch? F-fine," His hand dropped the bottle of whatever was in his hands, and he stumbled forward,"C'mere…"_

 _Max's heart beat until he felt it would jump from his chest, terror paralysing every inch of his skin. Just as the guy raised his hand back, everything disappeared._

Max's head jerked forward off the wall, panic seizing his body as he tore away from his dream. He took a breath, adrenaline prickling at his fingers, realizing where he was. He'd fallen asleep in the lobby while he was waiting for David. Was he still not here? What time was it? What was that fucking _dream_?

Max still felt rocked by what the dream portrayed. It was fuzzy, but he had a feeling it was that god damn kid again. Brown haired kid. Whoever it was, Max wanted him to get out of his head.

To his left, Celine had curled up on the chair with her jacket and passed out as well. Max reached over and plucked her phone from her hands, knowing his upstairs and charging before he went out. _If_ he went out.

Double tapping the screen, Max hated the feeling that washed over him upon seeing it was eight. David was four hours late, Max didn't have a text, and he'd wasted four hours just sitting here and _waiting_. Max set the phone back on Celine's lap, Not sure if he should wake her up to leave or just go to his room by himself. Either way, he was sick of waiting around. He ultimately left her in the lobby, wanting a little while to himself before he had to deal with anyone.

Max's shoes made the wooden hallway creak as he walked. A part of him wanted to cringe and find somewhere quiet, another knew it wouldn't matter anyways. He was alone in the quiet hall. He hands warmed the fabric of his sweatshirt pocket, fingers picking at one another as he thought worriedly. What could have happened? Did David just forget? Wasn't it a daily thing? Max knew they had no set schedule, but still. Maybe he crashed? Max shook that one away quickly, feeling cold at the idea. Continuing down, he slowed. Some part of him didn't want to go back to the lobby to just sit and wait to be disappointed. He knew it was either there or his room, or the cafe if he got down there before they cleaned up. At least he had some options.

He couldn't bring himself to stop walking, though. It was something to do. No, he wasn't anxious, he was pissed off. Pissed off because he was hungry, and his phone was upstairs charging, and he couldn't focus enough to read. Definitely not nervous.

Where was he? David didn't seem the type to randomly cancel, but Max sullenly admitted he may have been wrong. How much else was he wrong about? If he wasn't here soon, Max would just have to find Chikae before he went upstairs to get some food. Until then, whenever that might be, Max waited. Pissed off, not reading, and thinking hateful things.

No text. No _text_. Stuck in Max's head, he couldn't help but work himself up all over again. He hadn't gotten a text when his parents moved either. He didn't get a warning, a call, a 'hey, just to let you know-'. He just showed up at home and felt utterly and desperately alone. He had no place to go, and until David showed up he would have been stuck in a home anyways.

Well, where was he now? At a home, with David gone, ignoring him. Maybe David got wise of how awful he was and bolted. Or found something better to do. It wasn't that hard to back out of adoption, was it? He thought someone would have told him, but then again where was his warning last time? Where was the fucking wake up call that told him his whole life would be a shit show? Couldn't he win _just once_? Be happy and have somewhere stable to sleep and eat. It wasn't that much to ask.

Max's anger had tripled by then. He felt a lump in his throat, and that made him even more frustrated. Why would he want to _cry_? Why couldn't he just stop feeling all this bullshit and get out of his own head. He wanted to leave, go on his own, and stop letting people fuck him up like this. If he had to be honest, his stomach was twisted with fear because of the things he had stuck in his head. Everything he felt aside from blind rage was just another thing to piss him off, because he didn't want to feel like that. He didn't wanna be seventeen and come back to some orphanage with another busted lip and broken ribs. He just wanted people to stop being so _shitty_.

Low and behold, Max swung around and slammed his fist against the wall. The impact was a dull thud that sent a jolt of tingling pain up Max's arm. Max wanted to scream at something. He didn't care what, he just wanted to yell and get rid of this stupid fucking feeling in his chest.

Why did this always happen?

Why did people keep fucking _leaving_?

Despite the aching pain in his knuckles, Max reeled back and threw his hand against the wall again. This time, Max got the hint. The pain tripled, tingling in his fingers an obvious indication he was done hitting things. Yet, his anger still flared.

Where was he?

* * *

David tried to keep it together. He really, _really_ did.

Halfway to Max, David's car sputtered and began the unsteady drift off the road. His gaslight burned brightly all of a sudden, and David wondered how the hell he had missed it when he first got in the car. Either way, he was out of gas, out of charge, and out of time. It was almost eight now, Max had probably given up on him hours ago.

David put his head in his hands, a shaky sigh passing his lips. He leaned forward, trying to calm his breathing and think clearly. He needed to figure this out, whether is was getting home or getting to Max, he needed some way out of the middle of nowhere. He leaned on the wheel, and a sharp _Bruuuuhn!_ sounded from the horn, making the man's heart jump into his throat all over again. He grabbed the leather wheel, a frown set heavy on his face. In the same moment as he worked over a way out, he wondered how long before he would miss showing up for training at eight tomorrow morning, and how he was supposed to make it home before the visit at six. Oh, the _visit_. David had been worrying all week about cleaning he forgot _why_ he had been furiously scrubbing away the grime of a summer's-worth of neglect. They'd bring Max over, and someone to analyze if the home was fit for a child, ask him about all kinds of things he didn't have an answer to. Above all else, where was his _income_?

David blinked a few more times to clear his blurry eyes, feeling panic creep up on him. He wanted this so bad. He wanted to make Max happy, to keep him safe and give him something stable. How was he supposed to manage a stable home for him if he couldn't keep his own life together? He had always wanted kids, he knew that, and he knew that Gwen didn't like the idea of one _right now_ , nor would his parents, but David felt like it was a sign. Max needed someone, and David needed Max. It _fit_. It fit so well, but David felt like every puzzle piece had to be shoved into place. When was his life going to fall into step again? If it ever did, that is.

David's next breath caught in his throat and he shut his eyes, feeling the burn of tears behind them. He thought he had taken steps with Max, and bonded, but after this he wondered how long it would take to fix again. If Max even wanted to speak with him in the first place.

David patted his hands against the wheel with another shaken breath, huffing an exhale as if to wipe the thoughts away. _No_ , he thought, I need to take this one step at a time.

His phone. It needed charging, he was out of gas, and his battery life was questionable. The normal car charger had been busted for months now anyways, so it was a long shot to begin with. What else did he have? He had a few of the extra battery packs lying around his house and one in the glove box, but he was almost certain it was dead by now. What else...

David gasped, recalling the crank-charger Gwen had given him for his birthday. He popped the trunk, and ran out to figure out of he still had it hidden away under the duffel bag of emergency things. Of course, he hadn't counted running out of gas as an emergency, or else he could be out of here within the hour. He promised himself to pack that once he got home, snagging the charger and returning to the front seat.

If he charged his phone, he would have to charge for at least an hour to get anything close to thirty. It was meant to charge phones, but it was awfully slow doing it. On the other hand, if he charged the battery, it could take him less time and get more charge. Then, his phone could charge while he slept. He tugged the dusty item from the glovebox and plugged it in, starting to turn the crank. The whir of the little machine filled the silence of the car.

Once he charged the battery up, he could plug in his phone and sleep until he called Gwen. Hoping she would pick up, he could get a ride or gas to get to his second shift at the diner. He had a good feeling about the place, and his hopes ran high again as he thought about really getting the job there. If he managed that, he could feel a little more secure at the meeting tomorrow. That would be really nice.

David allowed himself a calming breath, and looked out the window at the stars. Sometimes, things were gonna be hard, but they weren't all bad, right?

David fought tears many times through the night, forcing the negative thoughts to the back of his mind.

* * *

 **David; 6:04 pm;** _**I'm so sorry!**_

After finally managing to turn his phone back on, Max stared at the message with mixed feelings. David had texted him at six, and nothing since then. It was nine now, no other chime came from his phone. He shut off the screen only to turn it on a few minutes later to check again, as if a message would randomly appear.

Finally, Max turned the phone on for the fiftieth time within the hour- to nothing, again- and he gave a frustrated shout as he slammed the thing against the mattress one, two, three times. After that, he put his head in his hands and slumped over into the safety of the covers. His knuckles still ached angrily in protest from hitting the wall.

He hated the waiting. The worrying, the overthinking. _I'm so sorry!_ Sorry for what? For being late? For not showing up? Max hated this feeling, the disappointment and sadness mingled with anger in his belly. He knew he should have kept his head out of the clouds. If he had, he wouldn't have gotten hurt. He could have been passed out by now, with food in his stomach and his book finished. Instead, he'd sat reading the same three pages again and again while checking his phone and forcing the rumbling hunger away. Chikae had left too soon, and Celine ran off without him for dinner, since Max had still believed David would actually show up. Mostly, he was still just tired. He wanted to sleep but feared what he would see.

He fought himself hard on it, he knew he wouldn't see any message, but he eventually gave in and picked up his phone from the covers and checked again. His eyes stung as he saw a blank screen again.

Sorry for _what_ , David?

For leaving me?

Max's thoughts turned hateful as his fingers gripped the phone hard.

What if this was _it_? David was really sick of him, he wouldn't come back for Max. What home was he gonna go to next? It could be nice, he supposed, but there were too many variables. Would they be too strict? Not care at all? Helicopter parents? Max had no way to know, after the initial visits and background checks, anything could happen to deteriorate the life quality. And now, probably the worst part, is Max wouldn't have David anymore. No backup plan, no chance of going back David had made the choice for him, and Max was just gonna have to life with it.

Max's expression twisted and he once again raise his hands to his face and fought against his emotions. David didn't get to do this shit to him. Max wouldn't let him, it wasn't _fair_. If David could drop him so easily, then Max could too. Fuck the summer, fuck camp, fuck David. Max was so sick of this shit, he was just _done._

He snatched his phone off the sheets again, tapped a few buttons and got to David's Contact.

 **Block Contact?Confirm/Cancel Confirm**

 **Number Blocked**

Max jumped to David's messages then and deleted the whole conversation, leaving no trace of him on his messages.

Max could move on too, and he always would.

He flipped over and tried to ignore the hunger in his stomach as he struggled to sleep.

His life was a nightmare, how bad could dreams be?


	10. Bandaids

Rain pattered the windshield beneath dark clouds. Maybe some sort of dark omen sent by whatever watched the lives of those on earth, maybe it was just the weather. The trees swayed with the winds, not as wild as they could have been, but the leaves still withered off the branches and stuck fast to the road and the hood of David's car. The car had chilled quite a bit overnight, and David had huddled under a spare blanket to fight it off, but it gave little comfort. He hadn't showered, he felt a crick in his neck from his sleeping position, and he had a bad feeling about the whole day.

After calling Gwen, David was hesitant to call Max to try and explain himself. What could he say? If he confessed all the things he'd been doing this week, Max would just feel guilty, or assume it was an excuse. David wouldn't usually forget something so important as gas, but in this frazzled situation, anything could happen.

Even so, when he finally worked up the courage to call, the phone rang once and cut straight to a dial tone. David thought that was odd, unless Max had turned his phone off; and even then it should have sent him to voicemail. He sent a text, but it continued to say 'sent' instead of delivered.

He was half asleep when the tapping of Gwen's hand against the window rung in his ears. He jolted up, startled out of sleep, and peered out the water-streaked window to see her scowling face. Wilting in the face of her obvious anger, David unlocked the door and stepped out of the car. She didn't offer to cover him in the umbrella she held.

"David, what the fuck are you doing?" She asked immediately, throwing the work clothes in her hand at him.

David caught them and put them in the car before he tugged the blanket out and lifted it over his head with a frown,"I didn't check before I left, I know it was stupid-"

Gwen snarled,"No, David, what the fuck are you _doing_?" She asked again, gesturing at him,"Look at yourself! Look at the fucking spot you're in!" David shifted restlessly, glancing away from her,"You look like you haven't slept for a month, you haven't sat still since this whole thing started- You're gonna kill yourself doing all this!"

David sighed quietly and reached for the gas can in her hand to fill up his car,"It's just until Max comes home, I'm okay-"

As Davey started filling up his gas tank, Gwen interrupted him,"Max comes _home_? David, you don't even know if he's going to come home!" She snapped,"This is all an if! You're a single guy looking for part time jobs who barely has a credit score! You're not even thirty!"

David frowned again,"My age has nothing to do with this,"

"It has _everything_ to do with this! If you had actually raise the kid, you would have been _fourteen_!" Gwen shouted,"You're going fucking crazy! Where's the rest of your life, David? Kids take money and time and energy that you _barely have_ ,"

"I'll figure it out, Gwen," David's grip on the handle tightened, biting his lip.

"That's not good enough!" Gwen snapped,"You jumped into this even when I said it was a bad idea. You can't do this, David. You can't do this to him, or to yourself. Max is gonna be fine on his own, with people who really planned all of this,"

"You don't _know_ that," David huffed quietly,"He got sent off with people that looked alright and he…" the counsellor tightened the coat around his shoulders.

"David," Gwen sighed,"You can't take him in just because you don't want anyone else to-"

"That's not it!" David said desperately, struggling to release the nozzle from the gas tank,"Why does everyone think I have some twisted alternate motive for adopting him?" He asked desperately,"Why can't I just _love him_ and want to keep him safe and happy?"

"Because he's been nothing but an asshole to you, David!" Gwen barked,"He screams at you, he makes you cry, he does nothing but upset you!"

David spun to face her,"You're _wrong_." His voice cut through hers, determined and low,"Max makes me happy! He's hard to talk to, and he's stubborn, and sometimes he's mean, but he is the sweetest kid once you get past that,"

Gwen rolled her eyes,"David-"

"No, _no_ , Gwen, I can't keep doing this!" David chided firmly,"You don't make an _effort_ to see him in that way! You hate him so much without even knowing him!" David shoved the container into her hands, feeling more upset than he cared to admit,"I'm there when he cries, I'm there when he _needs me_ , I'm there when he gets so… _invested_ in his favorite books that he has the sweetest, wide-eyed little look on his face when he reads, I…" David sputtered, words struggling to form in the face of his flustered frustration.

He took a deep breath, "I get to see all of that because I want this, and I want Max, _so badly_ ,"

"You're killing yourself doing all this-" Gwen repeated, still fighting.

David stared her down as he opened the car door,"This is all for Max," He said, with an air of finality in his tone,"Live with that, or find someone else to shout at,"

He climbed into the car and shut the door loudly. There was a heavy thud against the door of his car before Gwen stalked off, and David had a feeling she had dented the frame in anger. David saw her headlights light up his car as she pulled away from the edge of the road, leaving him alone again. David took a calm breath, moving his hands around the leather wheel as he waited for his head to stop swimming with worry. He had gas, he had clothes for work, now he just needed to get there and get home.

The radio stayed shut off when he started the car, too nervous to listen to anything that might be playing. Gwen was wrong, he knew that much. He wanted this. Not to fix what happened at camp, not to fill some sense of purpose he was lacking. He wanted Max for Max, and to be a parent because, even if he went into this a little hastily, he was ready to try and work at it for the rest of his life. All of the stress would be worth it when Max finally came home.

Max wasn't everything Gwen thought he was, and David knew that more certainly than anything else in this whole situation. Max could be considerate and quiet even when he could still fight tooth and nail to defend himself or what he believed in. Yes, Davey had jumped into this without much thought but… what was there to think about? He'd known from the start that Max was different, that he could do fantastic things if he just had the right people to guide him. David could have picked out a set of parents, but how did he know they were gonna understand him? Without getting angry because he was so moody, or because he had an attitude? Adults get to be moody all the time, and yell and get upset but most kids were told to straighten up. David always avoided that, he knew it did nothing to help the kids, and he wants Max to know he was here for all of his emotions, including anger.

David kept those thoughts close to his heart as he drove. The rain still hadn't let up, and his phone was struggling to charge on the car charger. Still no text from Max, or a call. Which was ok, David just needed to get to work and do his best. He was gonna talk to his supervisor that evening before he left to try and push the decision process faster. He needed a definitive answer so he knew what he could say tonight at the meeting. He just wanted to be a little prepared, that could help him out quite a bit. And even if the job wasn't the best paying, he was living rent and mortgage free, since his parents had bought him the house he lived in now; that fact was something he was reminded of anytime he spoke with them. He needed to pay bills and insurance, gas and groceries, and a few other things, but he would be sated with a part time job until he found something better.

He was upset after the argument, and worried about the meeting, but David tried hard to put those thoughts aside when he walked in the door. A smile on his face, determination in his heart. He could make this day his, even after the drama and the stress. He changed in the bathroom and kicked it into high gear.

He could run a team no problem. He had fantastic encouragement, and good problem solving skills. He kept the kitchen running even through the early morning rush of coffee and tiny breakfasts. There were a few broken plates, but David ushered the waitress away in favor of cleaning it up himself so she could get the order again. In his haste, he ended up with a thin scrape along the inner portion of his middle finger, but a bandaid and a good attitude fixed that in no time. Glass cleaned up, order set out, everything was going smoothly. Helping people kept his mind further off of Max than he would have thought. Maybe sitting still just gave him too much time to think. Afterall, David was a busybody at heart.

Before he knew it, it was 5:30 and time to go home. He was definitely tired, but he had things already prepped for tonight at home, which meant he just had to show up and chat. But first, he needed to talk to-

"David? I'd like a word,"

David's gaze lifted to a blonde woman in the door of the breakroom. She was the one who had initially offered him the position, and the one he was going to go talk to before he left, Mallory. Her hair was down with wavy curls twisting the ends, and silver hoop earrings matched a little silver nose ring on the right side. She wore a black skirt with a split up the side, a baby-blue blouse, and a black suit jacket to match. She radiated a confidence that David would have normally matched with ease, but today was just not his day. She was intimidating, to say the least.

He nodded his head and stood from his seat,"Yes ma'am!" His voice was deceivingly cheer despite the butterflies plaguing his stomach.

He followed her out of the breakroom and up a set of steps to where he had come in for an interview. She had a seperate room apart from a little meeting area, where a desk and two chairs waited. He followed her and she offered a brief smile before sitting down. David followed suit, sitting down in the chair slowly.

Mallory clasped her hands together in front of her, smiling again,"I've been impressed with your work here. You show very good potential,"

David smiled appreciatively,"Thank you, ma'am,"

"But, I don't think the job you've been interviewed for is suited for you-"

David spoke up quickly,"I- I'm sorry to interrupt, but _please_ reconsider," He said hopefully,"I'm a fantastic team leader, I am incredible at communication- I ran an entire summer camp with one other person for three years,"

David struggled to bring up a case for himself- he knew he was qualified, he just didn't know how to say so. He wasn't used to singing his own praise, he hadn't interviewed for a new job in years. He'd kept the same job since he was 17, and started working at the camp when he was 19, which meant he went back and forth between the two. Campbell hadn't even interviewed him, after multiple emails and calls and asking, he just hired David on the spot. What changed his mind, David had no idea, but he was just happy to work there. He could work here no problem, but he didn't know what could prove that.

He needed this job; to set his mind at ease about the visit tonight, to have something really stable for when Max went to school, whatever the reason, he needed this.

"David, please let me finish?" Mallory chuckled behind the desk.

David shrunk in his seat, watching her apprehensively.

"I don't think you're suited well for a job in the kitchen," She hummed,"I think you would be much better qualified for a management position,"

David blinked once, twice, three times. Management? He opened his mouth but found it hard to find the right words to say.

"Surprised?" Her tone was amused.

David nodded, feeling very much like crying,"Yes, absolutely, I… don't know what to say," He sputtered,"Thank you, jiminy, thank you so much for the opportunity, oh gosh," he covered his mouth, relief washing over his worried butterflies.

Mallory smiled brightly,"Of course," She said easily,"You'll be on a set salary after probation instead of hourly wages, and making 26,000 a year, with annual Cost of Living adjustments. I'll send you an official schedule when we get someone here to train you for the position," She explained,"And we have your pay for these last two shifts right here," She offered him an envelope,"Welcome to the team,"

David took it with shaky hands, fighting happy tears. As he reached for it, he saw her watch display the time 5:42. He gasped.

"Oh my gosh- thank you again but I really need to go!" He apologized, standing up quickly and shaking her hand,"I look forward to working here!"

With that, he rushed back down the the main floor and out to the car- He'd rather be wearing clean work clothes than his dirty casual ones when he met with Jen again.

He was smiling as he left, near jogging to his car to get home quickly. He had finally gotten a job! No more searching for positions, or worrying about money. He was _set_. And it was an even better job than he had applied for! That meant he could forget searching for another one. For the drive home, he just turned up the radio and sang his heart out, beyond excited at today's turn of events. Things could work smoothly, he just needed to give it time.

His good mood turned to a slight worry when he saw there was already a car parked in his drive. A sleek silver Nissan, David had to assume it was Jen. He wasn't expecting anyone else, and his parents drove something incredulously expensive. He parked and gathered his things as quickly as he could.

"Jen?" he called, glancing past the lilac bushes lining the porch to see a slim woman in a grey pantsuit turn her head,"Sorry I'm late! Have you been here long?"

He stepped around the car and saw her start towards him, a small clipboard in her hand, before saw Chikae behind her. He didn't know he'd be coming! He was glad actually, he was hoping to ask if he got the muffin basket he'd left the day before. He moved closer to the porch, and his steps faltered. A familiar blue hoodie peaked out between the leaves on the bushes, and David's throat felt dry.

Jen smiled as she came near to him,"Hi again! It's been quite some time since we last spoke in person," She said brightly.

David turned his attention to her with a weakened smile,"It has! I'm glad they sent you here… I didn't realize you brought the kids on these visits…" He said, hoping not to sound too strange about the fact.

Jen waved her hand,"Well, we don't usually do a lot of things. But as much faith as I have in this little family, and considering I have news for both of you, it was approved and Max agreed to come… I should hope that's alright?"

David nodded quickly,"Of course! Just a lot of surprises today is all! Let me get my keys and we can all get out of the cold!"

David stepped past her and towards the porch, glancing down at Max as he passed. The boy leaned against the wall, hands in his pocket, and a bitter scowl pointed at the bushes. David wanted to say something, but he didn't want to start a fight before the visit was over. Jen and Chikae were looking at the little greenhouse garden in front of the house, so David quietly unlocked the door. His heart sank when he heard Max speak lowly.

"You're late,"

David shifted, watching Jen warily,"I know, I'm sorry-"

Max scoffed,"At least you showed up this time," He pushed passed David and walked into the house.

Davey bit his lip, grip tight on the key in his hand. Jen and Chikae started over, and he quickly replaced his worrisome eyes with a passive smile.

"I love the little garden out there," Jen smiled,"I always wanted to start one but my husband always has an excuse," She joked, nodding her head when David invited her in.

"I got that set up the first few months I moved in," David hummed, following after Chikae and shutting the door to the cold,"I love fresh veggies for salads,"

"You really live here?" Max's voice piped up from down the hall, sounding dreadfully sarcastic.

David smiled as best he could,"I do. My parents bought me this house for my 18th birthday, I paid for half and they paid the rest," He explained, shrugging off his coat,"Please, sit wherever! Make yourselves comfortable!"

Jen smiled but didn't look at him, eyes pouring over the room as she walked around. Chikae glanced at David, who stood watching and fidgeting with his coat.

He leaned close, placing a hand on his shoulder,"Relax. You'll do fine," He assured him, then stepping to the couch to sit down.

David smiled tightly, giving a timid nod,"Right… Does anyone want coffee? Tea?"

Jen lifted her pen in the air,"Coffee, please."

David nodded, looking to Chikae,"Chikae?"

The man shook his head,"Thank you, though,"

David smiled and set his jacket on the armchair before he walked into the kitchen to make coffee for Jen and pull the plate of cookies he'd made on Wednesday out of the cupboard. He heard Jen and Chikae talk a few times, and he could see Jen writing things on her clipboard. He hoped they were good. He'd spent enough time here cleaning, it ought to be. He took a breath, and picked up the mug of coffee and the plate with cookies on it.

Jen was standing behind the couch now, and accepted the cup with a cheerful smile,"Thank you. Oh, and you baked! Quite the host, Jones," She poked fun lightly.

David chuckled,"Do you want to see the rest of the house..?" He suggested, peering over down the hall where Max was staring at the pictures of him and his family.

Jen hummed behind her sip of coffee, and swallowed before she answered,"That'd be fantastic,"

David had no idea why he was so nervous. He had spent the whole week cleaning the house, there wasn't a hair out of place in the whole building. He had gotten the new job, which meant he had an answer for where his income would be from. The only odd thing was Max right now, who was clearly upset with him. He may have been fussing over that. Max could be very clever, and David wasn't sure what sort of things he may say to rile him up. David stepped past him gingerly, as if moving wrong may make him angry. He hoped his tentative attitude towards Max wasn't blaringly obvious, sure that being afraid of the child you're adopting isn't a very good impression.

David nudged the door on the right of the hall open a bit more,"This is the only bathroom with a tub, but the other two have showers instead,"

Moving down, he showed them both the guest bedroom, which had sheets on it and the blanket was folded at the foot of the bed. Around the room was boxes for holidays and other miscellaneous items that David put into storage The room was otherwise barren. The wood floor creaked softly as he led them to the carpet-covered stairs. It led up and turned halfway up, then turned back around to the top floor. Upstairs was a few doors along another hallway, and at the end was an open area with chairs and bookshelves, with a desk and computer and other things to do. David showed them his bedroom, which had a bathroom connected off the side. The room further down was another bathroom, and the room directly across from that was, apparently, Max's.

David's fingers were slow to twist the doorknob, unsure about Max's feelings towards the place,"This would be Max's room, of course," He said quietly, and felt his nerves spike further upon seeing Jen was much more interested in this room than the others.

Max pushed past her, and wandered into the middle of the room to look around. David crossed his arms in a little hug for himself, watching his body language as if he could tell if something was wrong.

Max puttered around, looking around the room. The bed David bought was a full, to make sure Max had plenty of room if he tossed and turned in his sleep. He covered it with deep grey and blue blanket and flannel sheets, and three pillows sat at the head of the bed. He had a dark, wood dresser in the corner of the room, wider than it was tall, with two sets of drawers on either side. He had a bookshelf too, with the same color wood and a few novels on the shelves. There was one poster on the wall, right above Max's bed. It was for Cirque Du Freak, decorated as if it were an entrance ticket, with a '5.00 dollar admission' stub on the bottom. David found it at a garage sale- the same place he bought the dresser and bookshelf- and thought Max would like it.

Max did look at it for a little while, but ultimately continued moving around the room, opening drawers and looking behind things.

"Well, how is it?" Jen asked calmly,"Is something wrong?"

When Max dropped to his knees next to the bed, David saw bandages on his knuckles. Before he could say anything to ask, Max scared him near to death while he was scanning under the mattress,"No. Just looking for cameras,"

David paled like a ghost," _Max!_ I wouldn't do that and you know that!"

Max sat up from the floor and turned a dark glare towards him,"I thought you wouldn't leave me at that shithole either. Life fucking happens," David had nothing to say in return, struggling to form words, and Max stalked out of the room and back to the stairs.

David found a little difficulty trying to think, staring after him. What could he say? What happened to his _hand_?

"Is… there something I should _know_ about here?" Jen piped up, a frown creasing her otherwise smooth features.

David sighed softly,"Max… is a little upset with me right now," He admitted meekly,"He has a right to be, I suppose,"

Jen raised an eyebrow,"Please tell me I don't honestly need to check for cameras, David-"

David gasped and shook his head wildly,"No! Goodness gracious no," he hurried to assure her,"Nothing like that!"

"Then what is this spat about?"

David ran his hands down his face,"I was supposed to pick up Max yesterday, but I overslept, and I ran out of gas on the way there," He explained,"My phone was dead, I didn't get home until now, I had to work," He chuckled humorlessly,"I'm pretty sure my phone died again after I called Gwen,"

Jen hummed,"Well, I can understand his side of it,"

David nodded, grimacing at the words.

"But I can understand yours too," She continued,"Just talk to him. You ought to have plenty of time after this interview," Jen assured him, putting a hand on his shoulder and leading him to the stairs.

David tried to smile, but he was sure it didn't look very believable in the face of the situation.

When they reached the bottom floor again, he saw Max in the armchair with the bottom lifted out and leaned back in it. His hood was over his eyes, and he didn't lift his head when they entered the room.

David took a spot on the loveseat to the left of the couch where Jen and Chikae now sat, and directly across from the chair Max had decided to nap in. Jen flipped through a couple things on her clipboard, pursing her lips in thought as she did so.

"Okay, so let's talk about your childhood, David," She said, still focused on the clipboard a few moments before finally looking up with a smile.

David returned it but he felt queasy,"Alright, I can do that,"

"Were you close to your relatives?"

David shrugged,"I visited with my grandparents- my mothers side- before they passed, and I have an Aunt also on my mother's side, but I didn't see her very often."

Jen hummed,"You're an only child?"

David nodded.

"Was there ever any issues with drug or alcohol abuse in your home or family?"

David scratched the back of his neck, but Max piped up before he could answer,"Dealing with him all the time? I wouldn't be surprised if they needed something to take the edge off,"

Jen glanced at him, then returned to David, who quietly answered,"My father drank but not very often or excessively,"

Jen paused before she went on,"What were you like as a child? A teenager?"

David chuckled softly,"I was a little stubborn when I was younger, rebellious and such, but I went to camp and that changed my attitude for the better," He explained,"I struggled with depression for a little while after I was sixteen, but I only received any therapy when I signed up for it myself after I moved out,"

"Do you still go to therapy?"

David nodded,"I have a session every month, or more if its an emergency,"

Jen hummed,"And have you had any trouble with depression since?"

David shook his head,"No, not at all,"

Jen nodded, still scribbling things down,"Okay… what was the prefered discipline in your house? Were you ever abused as a child?"

And there it was; David shifted in his seat and leaned back on the cushion,"I… wouldn't call it abuse? I guess. Not physical really? My father was strict and he… he prefered corporal punishment above anything," David calmed himself for a beat before going on,"He used my mother's feelings against me a lot, as if it was my fault she was sad or angry. I'm sure there was emotional abuse, or manipulation somewhere in there," He waved a hand,"I don't speak to my parents unless I struggle with money or for a family reunion,"

Jen tilted her head at that part,"I can see this is still a soft spot, we can move on,"

David sighed quietly, and glanced to Max. To his surprise, the boy had lifted his hood and peered out at him calmly. David held his gaze for a moment, trying to figure out what was going through his mind, but Max lowered the hood and settled down again. David chewed on his lower lip for what must have been the fiftieth time that day.

"You said you speak with your parents if you have financial trouble," Jen said,"is that often an issue?"

David shook his head,"No, I've only asked once when I had first moved out and was in a car accident," He told her,"I was actually approved for a management position just before I came here, kind of the reason I was late,"

He smiled sheepishly, and Chikae leaned forward to tug a cookie free from under the plastic wrap. David smiled, always happy to be the good host and bake for his guests.

"Well, congratulations!" Jen beamed,"Do you know how much you'll be paid? Salary, hourly?"

"Well, until I'm done training, I'll be working hourly and off of tips. After that, she said a salary of 26,000 a year,"

Jen nodded,"Alrighty. Now, as far as this house will go...I know you were motivated to adopt Max because of your relationship at camp and the upsettingly sudden 'Call to action' he's experienced," She said, to which Max lifted his hood again and fixed her with a disdainful scowl,"But can I ask if you had ever intended to have children before Max?"

David nodded brightly,"Oh, yes! I love kids, I babysat a lot when I was a teen, and I was briefly a live-in nanny for a family friend after they had a baby,"

"How did that go?"

"Well I started about six months before I went to work at Camp Cambell, so I found a replacement for them and put in my two weeks. I took care of the newborn and their 7-year old."

"As far as Max goes, what do you think your strengths would be when raising him?"

David spoke haltingly,"Well… I feel like we're already close because of camp-" Max snorted loudly from beneath his hood,"...Er, I'm a very good listener, and I'm always open to talk about feelings-"

"Bold of you to assume I have any," Max grumbled.

David frowned softly, deciding he was done talking before he got flustered speaking over Max.

Jen cleared her throat,"Do you plan for Max to attend homeschooling, public school, or a private school?"

Max grunted,"He scrapes up gum off tables at a summer camp. He can't teach me anything but boy scout badges and knot tying,"

David sighed and tried to ignore him,"Public school,"

"Do you cook your own meals or can you provide the right nutrients for a maturing child?"

"He's a fucking toothpick, what do you think?" Max snapped,"And with his hand in daddy's wallet Im sure he's far from broke,"

Chikae sat up this time, looking less and less pleased with Max's quips,"Max, this serious,"

"Do you have to announce that to anyone you talk to? That nail polish is pretty flamboyant," Max's tone was haughty and sarcastic.

David stared at him,"Max! I understand you're upset, but-"

Max shot upright in the chair and fixed David with a look that could have killed,"You don't understand a goddamn thing," He stayed still, staring the counsellor down for a few more moments, before flopping back on the chair,"Ask the next fucking question,"

Jen shifted patiently,"While we're on the topic, I suppose," She scanned Max's prone form,"Should rules be broken or trouble arise, what methods do you have of handling such issues?"

Max bolted upright again, eyes blackened and angry,"What the fuck is that supposed to mean? _On the topic_ my _ass_ ," He snarled.

"Max, will you settle down!" David scolded him, feeling heat in his face and a sense of being overwhelmed swarmed his head.

Max turned to glower at him,"Well go on, answer the fucking question, _Davey_ ,"

David stared right back, sick of submitting to those awful stares,"Well I ought to think a round of washing out your mouth is in order!"

Max grinned deviously,"I'd like to see you fucking _try_ ,"

Chikae shifted again,"Let's _all_ settle down, please,"

Max once again turned to snap at him,"Listen here, ponytail-"

" _Max_ ," David snapped, catching his attention," _What_ has gotten into you?"

Max jeered nastily, "For the low, low price of child molestation charges, you could be asking _who_ -"

" _Max_ ,"

Max had a wild look in his eye, nose crinkled at the bridge, a grin on his face as if to say _Do something. I dare you_.

David would most certainly do something.

Triple dog dares be damned.

He stood out of his seat in a flash, crossing the space between them in two quick strides. Max barely had a chance to react before David hefted him out of the chair, set him on the ground, and snatched his wrist in a tight grip. After excusing them both with a passive tone, he carted Max off down the hallway. He pushed open the guest room door. He pushed Max forward without much grace, and slammed the door behind them both.

Max stumbled from the force, still a bit surprised by David's sudden jump into action. He caught his balance and turned to face him again, the usual deep-set scowl darkening his eyes.

David put his hands on his hips, frustration bubbling in his voice as he spoke sternly,"What are you _doing_ , Max?"

Max said nothing in reply, shoving his hands in his pockets.

David pushed a humorless, breathy laugh from his lips,"Do you want to send them away? What are they supposed to think of me when you act like this during the _interview_ ,"

Max bristled,"What they think about _you?"_ He clamored,"Fuck you! Fuck your image! Fuck this whole goddamn interview!"

David gestured out his hands, helpless," _Why_ , for god's sake tell me why! I've done _all_ of this for _you_!"

Max was absolutely furious,"Why? _Why_ , David?" He balled his fists in his coat pocket," _Why_ didn't you show up?"

David wilted ever so slightly,"Oh, Max-"

Max went on," _Why_ didn't you fucking _text me_? _Why_ did you just fucking leave me?" His voice wavered,"Why does everyone keep fucking leaving me?"

David felt the air in his chest disappear, the frustration dying on the spot,"Max, it's nothing like that-"

Max stepped away from him and pointedly shook his head," _No_ , it never fucking is. It's never this big thing to you, it's never important to you, it never fucking _matters_ to you,"

David had nothing to say, and could only stare on as Max ranted.

"This stupid- stupid _tiny_ things are so fucking pointless! They don't matter to you, or _anyone_ , and I'm just," Max struggled for words for a few seconds, and erupted into a frustrated shout of anger,"I'm just fucking standing here, like some god damn toddler throwing a tantrum over shit that doesn't _matter_ but I can't stop thinking about it because I thought- I thought you would _show up_ ," He stepped back again, as if he was trying to back into the corner,"I looked so fucking stupid just sitting there for four fucking hours,"

David was dumbfounded. He'd expected anger, hostility. He knew Max would be angry with him, even a little upset, but _this_ … This was beyond just what David had done. This was his old parents, and abandonment. This was more than David ever expected Max to open up with.

Max went on, voice wobbly and still bitter,"I could have just gone to bed, or eaten or fucking ignored you but I _couldn't_ because you're in my head now! I… I keep fucking thinking you're gonna do what you tell me you will, and I don't… don't have to have a backup plan for when you just decide to leave, and then this stupid shit happens and I have to start all over and I don't _want_ a fucking plan," Max shook his head furiously, lifting his hands to wipe harshly at his face,"I w-ant to stop fucking caring what you _do_ , and w-why you didn't show up, and if you're h-hurt because it's fucking stupid stuff I didn't care about before a-and now I'm just throwing this tantrum l-ike a fu-ucking five-year old, and I-...I…"

Max groaned again, forcing the sleeves of his jacket against his cheeks in rage and pressing hard to make the tears stop. David saw the bandaged hand once again, and held himself back from asking. He rubbed roughly, and his skin burned but he couldn't find a fuck to give. David once again closed the distance between them and sat on his knees in front of Max, grabbing his wrists tightly and pulling them away from his face. Max shouted again, angry, trying to shove David away or hit him or _something_ to hide from his own embarrassment. David held fast and shook him a bit.

"Max, _stop it_ ," He demanded firmly, shaking him again to get him to listen,"You look at me, right now. Eyes up, Max,"

Max rolled his eyes even as he sniffled, as if he could save face by playing the sarcasm card, but held David's gaze when he spoke.

David held his wrists still,"You are not throwing a fit. You're upset, and angry with me, and you have every reason to be, kiddo," He said, softly,"Yesterday was bad, and pretending it wasn't isn't gonna fix it,"

"If it was so bad why didn't you just _show up_!," Max yelled,"When am _I_ a fucking priority?"

David shook him to quiet him,"Stop it!" He snapped,"You are _always_ my first priority, Max! You are the reason I'm here, and the reason I worry so much, and the reason I keep ending up _here_. We keep having these fights and I haven't walked away from one of them. Do you have any idea why?" David paused, but received nothing as he expected,"Because I want to be here. And I would rather fight and scream and _cry_ over something that we messed up than let you feel like you can't always talk to me,"

Max's face was still stained with tears, and it was obvious he wanted to look away, and yet he soldiered on and held his eyes.

David continued,"I am going to be here, whether you like it or not, until I die. I don't care how much you scream and kick and fight me, I am gonna sit here and wait until you want to talk to me and we can _fix it_ ,"

David dropped his head with a sigh, knowing what he was going to have to do," And… I… can't expect you to bring up things with me if I hide things from you, too,"

That pulled another rise from Max instantly, and he started trying to yank away again,"Hiding- Hiding _what_?"

Max managed to pull one hand free, but David held onto the other even as Max tried to dig at his fingers to free himself. David hissed in pain when Max's nails cut the skin on his index and middle finger, tearing open the slice from the glass earlier. He switched to holding Max's right hand with his left, and tugged him round so he faced away from David. Before he could jerk away, he grabbed Max's other hand and pressed them both against to his back, keeping him from running or swinging at him anymore.

"Let me _go_ , David,"

" _No,_ " David said sternly,"Let me _talk_ , Max." He huffed a breath, holding his now bleeding hand against his shirt with a pained wince,"It's not an excuse, none of this is. I promised you to see you whenever I saw you even when I knew how busy I would be. This isn't a guilt trip, and it never will be. Tell me you understand that?"

"Just fucking tell me!" Max snapped, twisting in his hands again.

David tried his best not to roll his eyes,"My car broke down last night, okay? Well it didn't break down, it ran out of gas. Gas I spent on the two hour drive from here to the home, and from there to work, and there to the camp to help Gwen," Another sigh,"I was everywhere at once, I don't think I got a decent night's sleep since last week," He glanced down at his hand, and blood still beaded at the cut before running down to his palm,"And the only reason I was so late, and my phone was dead, and my car was out of gas, was because I overslept after third shift at some job I was training for.

David shut his eyes, wondering why in the hell he hadn't just come clean earlier,"I had to find a new job before they asked about my income, because I've been about as close to broke as you can get for the last week and my old job never told me I was fired," He pressed his hand back against his shirt because why the hell not,"The camp is in debt over its eyes and I had to sort it out before I lost that job too. And I tried, I swear I tried to text you or call. As soon as the crank-charger thing got my phone up to thirty I tried to call you but it wouldn't go through,"

David hung his head, a sense of shame washing over him for not telling him this earlier,"I just wanted to make this easy, and make sure you felt wanted and- and safe." he said softly,"I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand," voice breaking, David felt a lump in his throat.

Suddenly, Max tore away from David's grip and spun around to face him. David flinched back, startled by the sudden movements.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Max shouted, face still streaked with tears.

David laughed as tears brimmed his eyes,"I don't know! I have no idea," He admitted,"I just didn't want you to think you were a burden, I didn't want to make anyone worry,"

Max scowled,"You wasted money on me _every fucking day,_ " He spat,"You could have just- just stayed home! Called or something- jesus, David," Max wiped his face, less angry this time.

David shook his head,"I just…" He took a steady breath and looked up at the boy,"If I had to do it all over again, for the rest of my life… If it meant," his words were broken by the tearful tone,"If it meant I could keep you happy and safe and share my home with you, I would do it without a second thought,"

Max's expression changed multiple times as he looked down at the teary-eyed counsellor,"I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like I would leave you," He whispered,"Or if I made you worry, and I'm sorry I didn't show up,"

"You got the job, right?"

David blinked in confusion, feeling tears glide down his face,"I… yes, I did?"

Max scuffed his foot on the floor, having been staring at the carpet for some time now,"You can visit one time,"

"Max," David deflated, not wanting Max to think it was him that caused all the stress.

" _One_ time," Max repeated, stronger,"Each week. That's fucking it,"

Well, if David couldn't talk some sense into himself, maybe Max could. As long as he was okay with that, David supposed he could be too. He wanted to see Max whenever he could… but that would happen after he was adopted too. David just needed to be patient.

David was tentative, but he sighed and nodded,"Alright,"

There was quiet for a few moments, then David wiped his face and chuckled tearfully.

"What?" Max mumbled, eyes still watching his shoes.

David chuckled again,"I thought I was the one supposed to be making the rules,"

Max looked up to roll his eyes, and just about yelled again. David had a streak of blood across his cheek, and even more from where he moved his hand away from his shirt.

"Fucking shit, David where are you bleeding?" Max bolstered, until he saw David's hand,"Did I… Fuck,"

David was going to answer, assure him most of the blood was from his diner shift, but Max reached forward, sleeve pulled over his fingers, and wiped against his cheek. David shut his eye, lest Max poke him accidentally, but sat still otherwise. When he decided he was satisfied, Max pulled a fistfull of tissue paper, bandaids, and tape out of his pocket. David's eyes widened at the scene, surprised.

"I was gonna stick em all over your stuff," Max mumbled,"To piss you off,"

David couldn't help but laugh at that, realizing Max had wandered into the guest bathroom when they first got there. Well, at least he knew why now. David reached for one of the bandages in his hand, but Max jerked away and glared.

"Your hands are all fuckin gross, back off," He snapped,"You're a fucking mess,"

David smiled weakly,"Aren't all of us sometimes?"

Max said nothing, and set to individually unwrapping each bandage and sticking them to David's fingers with a strangely accurate precision. He wondered how many times he'd been taping up his own scrapes when he was younger.

David spoke as he worked,"I don't like that you're so good at this," He said quietly.

He had settled for not getting an answer from the focused boy, but Max replied almost silently,"Then let me forget how to do it,"

Even as the words settles heavy in David's stomach, he watched him for a few moments, thinking it was a little endearing how focused he was on the task at hand. Sure Max didnt want to delve further into why he was so experienced in first aid, David turned his attention back to the wrapping around Max's fingers.

"Can I ask why your hand is taped up?"

Max frowned,"...I got fucking mad, and I hit things. Big deal,"

"Not people, right?"

"Not people,"

Max finally put the last bandaid on his finger. The only blood left was the streak running down his palm and the stain on his shirt. David smiled softly.

"Thank you,"

Max grumbled, but went quiet again.

David took a breath, paused, and spoke again,"I had a fight with Gwen today too," he admitted.

Max looked at the bed when he went on,"I know what people think about all this. I know they think I'm too young, or that you're difficult to talk to," Max rolled his eyes,"But I want you to know that I want this more than I can ever say. I want this, I want you, so bad,"

David smiled to himself,"I can't even start to understand who would want to leave you behind like that. Who would… would want to miss your smile, however rare it may be," He looked up, and Max wasn't smiling, but he certainly wasn't scowling either,"I don't understand why they could just shrug off these moments, when I can really see who you are,"

Max twisted to argue, once again frowning, but David interrupted,"Don't, Max. I'm not saying I know you, I don't think I've even scratched the surface," He paused and smiled even brighter,"But I know you're more than what you show. And I'm always gonna be so proud of every part of you. Even if you stay grumpy for the rest of your life,"

David chuckled quietly, hoping to lighten the mood by being silly. Instead, Max sniffled and reached up to wipe his face again. David couldn't take seeing him so miserable anymore, and reached forward to pull him down to the floor. He wrapped his arms around him, laying his cheek against Max's curls as he tried to calm his own breath.

"I'm so proud of you," David heard a muffled sound from Max, but went on,"I'm gonna make sure this works… There will never be a 'when' I leave, there's not even gonna be an 'if'. I'm gonna make sure you know you never, ever need that backup plan again," David struggled against tears himself,"I don't care how hard you fight me, I'm never gonna stop loving you,"

Max pressed further against his chest, knuckles white as he gripped onto his shirt desperately. David just nuzzled closer, rubbing his back slowly and letting him take as much time as he needed to calm down. All the while, David was in awe at the picture they would make right then. At the start of camp, a hand on Max's shoulder was cause for death. He hated David, hated the camp, hated everything. And now? David was wrapped around his finger and he couldn't be happier.

The moment was quiet, and undeniably sweet, but it didn't go uninterrupted for long. A soft tapping on the door came before Jen's voice.

"Boys? Everything ok?"

David chuckled,"Yes," he called in return,"Just need a moment,"

"Sorry to step in, but I need one too,"

David hummed quietly, looking down to Max,"Are you ready, kiddo?"

Max shook his head against David's shirt, but sat up anyways to rub his eyes and calm himself.

"I promise it'll only be a second," Jen called again,"I just need some papers to confirm the adoption, is all,"

David looked at Max just as the boy's head jerked upwards, attentive after hearing what Jen had just said.

David stammered,"What did you say?"

Jen laughed,"The sooner you get out here and sign these, the sooner we can get Max packed up,"

David and Max shared another look, paused, then scrambled to get the door.


	11. Smashing!

David threw the door open, wide eyes looking for some trace of a joke in the woman's face,"He's- _What_?"

Jen laughed,"We got your background check back this morning, after my constant pestering," She grinned,"That, and this interview were the last things we needed to do,"

David, albeit excited because of the news, looked confused,"Wait, I-I thought that interview went terribly?"

Jen shook her head,"Are you kidding? It was fantastic," She beamed,"We're not judging your character based on how Max behaves, more of how you handle him," She tilted her head,"While he haven't seen something as drastic before- and I'd have to say that's due to already knowing each other- it was a _conversation_ above all else,"

Max stepped forward,"What is that supposed to mean? Conversation?"

When Jen looked down at him, her eyes suddenly flickered to the darkened spot on David's shirt, and she gasped audibly,"Wh-what happened to your side?" her startled exclamation reminded David of the sting in his fingers.

He smiled sheepishly,"Ah- I had a little incident at work today, Max was upset and opened it up again," He lifted his hand to show her the bandaids,"I wasn't too worried about it when I had him to look after, but it's all covered now,"

Without much thought, Max leaned forward to see the stain. It didn't stand out too much on a blue shirt, but once you'd seen it it was hard to unsee. Max felt a little bad for causing it, but he'd fixed it. It was better now, just like David said.

Jen put a hand to her chest and laughed shakily,"Oh, jeez. Scared me for a moment," She cleared her throat,"If you want to go change, I need to talk to Max about some things one on one,"

David nodded eagerly,"Oh, sure! I-I'll be back!"

Jen hummed as he turned down the hall, an energetic little jog carrying his steps up to the second floor. She turned back to Max then, and lifted a hand to the living room.

"Let's go get your bag, shall we?" She suggested.

"My- what the _fuck,_ my bag is here?" Max narrowed his eyes,"Who went through my shit?"

Jen clicked her tongue,"I'm pretty sure that was Chikae,"

Max scowled and walked past her to the living room, where Chikae was still sitting on the couch with a cookie.

"What the hell?" Max huffed, to which Chikae lifted his gaze from his phone.

Chikae grinned slightly,"Did you tell him about the bag?"

Jen stepped behind Max with a smile,"I did."

Max took a few steps forward, putting both adults in front of him defensively,"What is this?"

"I had to take the books back, Max," Chikae told him, dusting off his hands to stand up,"But you were awfully sneaky,"

Max's nose crinkled at that, tone dripping with sarcasm," _Thanks_. Is all my stuff here?"

Chikae nodded,"Yessir, trunk of the car,"

" _And_ the bear?"

"And the bear, kid,"

Max scowled at him,"Fine. Let's get the stupid bag,"

Max stormed to the door, feeling sulky knowing that Chikae had gone through his things. Not only that, but taken all his books. He was lucky to find them in the library in the first place, how was he supposed to finish the series now? Who knew where he'd see them again. _If_ he'd see them again. And after seeing the poster David put up, he'd be itching to get his hands on them again every time he saw it.

The cool air could have smacked him in the face when he opened the door, his steps staggering at the frame. He was used to the warmth after being inside and...the talk with David. Something about the wind, warning of rain, rocked his mind from the clutter. He felt numbness in his fingers, a bitter nip he hadn't even noticed when they came over. And suddenly, the plucky little porch David decorated with plants disappeared.

 _"_ _Stay out, you thieving cunt!_ "

Th _e dark street lights of Cincinnati tore away the warmth he had any recollection of. His breath was laboured, his headache faintly throbbing. Blood trickled down across his lips. His nose ached, even in the frigid wind. His skin was bare outside of a plain grey tshirt, and the shorts he'd been wearing._

 _His head spun. Blurry, uncoordinated. His throat burned like it was on fire. He'd been coughing recently. Sick? Maybe… But… Oh. He'd stolen the weed from the box. Smoking is what killed his throat. That's why he was so uncoordinated. What house… what…_

 _"_ _Screw you and that fucking faggot!"_

"Max!"

Max choked, throat closing just before he could gasp for air. Someone was touching him, crowding him. He jerked forward just as he'd thrown his elbow back behind him. Something solid connected with his throw, but he paid no mind, terror ripping through his entire body. After he'd spun around to see who he hit, his feet continued moving. He lost his footing over the edge of the porch, and he held his breath when he started the last second, he saw Chikae jump forward to catch him, but the kid already landed on the ground with a _splat!_ Max felt the cold mud sink into his jeans, coating his hands, his shoes, and everything he wore.

Chikae stepped forward cautiously,"You alright? You hurt?"

Max scowled, face burning with anger and embarrassment. What a fucking _clutz._

Chikae stepped down off the porch and hefted Max up out of the mud with ease, setting him on his feet in the grass. Max stepped back, wiping his hands on the side of his jeans. His sweatshirt was soaked and spattered with mud, his jeans made his entire body shiver with goosebumps. The little breeze accompanying the rainy weather didn't do anything to help the lack of warmth.

"What happened?" Shit, _David,_ "What's wrong? Max?"

Max blinked and caught himself in the present again, torn between being frozen and mortified and running off to try and get his shit together. He couldn't think fast enough, watching David step between Jen and Chikae and run to him. He dropped to a knee in front of the boy, eyes filled with worry, his hands finding Max's shoulders. His hair was tousled, and his shirt hadn't been buttoned up all the way past the white undershirt he had on. He'd obviously run out in the middle of changing, too worried about his- about _Max_ … to care about appearances. Something unsettling planted itself in Max's stomach, as if he'd done something wrong.

"He kinda just spaced out when he opened the door, panicked when I touched him," Chikae explained, even as David was preoccupied with the muddied and dazed child in front of him.

"He's- why are you covered in mud? Did you fall?"

Max scowled, feeling as though he had to defend himself," _No_ , I decided to roll around in it, dumbass,"

David tilted his head slightly, quieting his voice,"I was only asking, Max. I want to make sure you're alright, you know that,"

Max stuck his hands in his pocket,"Yeah, I get it- it's fine," Sullen eyes looked at the stepping stones, quietly hunching his shoulders.

David smiled reassuringly,"Let's get your bag and then you can take a shower, ok?" David said gently,"I'll get your clothes washed in the meantime,"

Suddenly feeling very much his age, Max just nodded, frustrated by the feeling of being spoken to in that calming voice. David was so easy-going about so much shit Max could put him through.

 _"_ _I don't care how hard you fight me, I'm never gonna stop loving you,"_

The boy's brow knit together, expression shifting as his shoulders rose close to his ears. David frowned as he watched him, recognizing the struggle behind his grimace. He rubbed his arm gently.

"Max? Are you okay?" He asked, gently, just like always.

Max huffed softly," _Sorry_ …" He whispered,"I'm- It- the mess," His voice wavered.

Smiling once again, David hurried to calm his nerves,"No, no, Max there's no trouble, really!" He assured,"Everything is alright! Do I look upset?"

Max, reluctantly, lifted his gaze for a second to scan David's face,"No,"

Upon hearing the answer, David's smile only grew,"See? No problems. I'll get your bag, why don't you go inside? Take off your shoes at the door, I'll wash them with everything else,"

Max nodded again and, after David stood up, stepped around to the door and passed Chikae quietly,"Sorry, dude,"

Chikae chuckled,"It takes a few more swings than that to hurt my feelings, Max. No hard feelings. You sure you're alright, though?"

Max shrugged and put a hand on the doorframe while he toed off his shoes,"Sure," He walked inside and shut the door behind him.

Not wanting to drip mud over the carpet and feel even worse, Max just appreciated the warmth of the house and stood at the door. There was distant talking outside that faded away, and then Max was left with the hum of the fridge and nothing else. He returned his hands to his pocket, quietly stewing over the situation.

If these flashbacks didn't stop soon, Max didn't know if he could shrug them off anymore. It was driving him crazy, seeing such vivid things. And he had no idea what kept setting them off, at this point it was basically unpredictable. He'd shut out those first few months of his stay at the house. When, he couldn't remember. But they had been buried deep in his brain, and whatever drudged them up again left Max desperate for relief. At the same time as he wanted the memories gone, he wanted to know who the kid was. How he'd gotten out, why he'd been left alone, why the memories had just disappeared up until now.

Not only did each cut away to the memory leave him in a weird, uncomfortable mood, it was fucking up his days. He'd almost gotten caught because of one at the library, he hadn't slept because of the dreams, and now he was a mess because of this last one. He couldn't catch a break, and he was close to snapping. He just wanted to go to sleep. Briefly, he tried to recall what David's stance on prescription meds were; maybe he could convince him to get some sleeping pills or something. At the very least, something to knock him out of a few hours. Nothing came to mind, though, so Max was left unsure yet again.

When the door slid open and bumped against Max's arm, the boy stepped forward with an irritated click of his tongue, scowling at the carpet. David came into view, setting Max's bag on the floor, the usual smile on his face.

"Okay! Let's get you all cleaned up, yeah?" He opted in a bright tone.

Max shrugged, hands remaining in his pockets. David's expression moved towards something like sympathy for the kid, and he reached out gently to take ahold of his shoulder and guide him to the stairs, then up to the bathroom. Unusually passive, Max followed without complaint. Occasionally, he glanced back to see if he'd left a mess, but there was never more than a drop or two to be seen. David let him in first, flipping on the light to illuminate the room.

"Come over here, kiddo, I can take your jacket and wash it," David guided him over to the toilet, and Max sat down on the lid.

David knelt in front of him, intending to untie his shoes. Max kicked his foot a little, knocking his hands away while he pulled the stained blue hoodie over his head.

"I can do that," He grumbled, voice muddled by the jacket somewhat.

David would have argued that Max could let him help, but something about his behaviour made the counsellor bite his tongue. Whatever happened outside had really sunk its teeth in, no doubt, and David would have to ask later; provided that Max actually wanted to talk, that is. For now, he stood up and waited patiently for Max to tug the shirt over his head.

Once Max was free of the heavy item, David took it from him and folded the sleeves inwards to keep it from slinging water all over the place. The boy cast a wary gaze at the item anyways, before diverting his attention to the rest of the room.

"There's rags over in the drawer, shampoo and conditioner on the shelves in the shower, towels under the sink," David hummed, keeping his tone light so Max wouldn't feel too strange about this,"Use whatever you like, I'll be out in the living room if you need anything, alright?"

"Does the door lock?"

David, reluctantly, nodded,"It does. Be careful, alright?"

"Yeah," a hum, not much else.

Taking the hint, David turned and walked out to the carpeted living room again, pulling the door closed. He stopped against the wall to step out of the cheap, no-slip shoes from the diner. A click from the door dampered his otherwise cheery mood a bit, but he paid it no mind. Max would settle in time, but for now David was another house, and another guardian. Don't take it personally would be a fantastic mantra

Setting his heart at ease, David went about getting Max's shirt washed, in hopes that it could be dry and warm when he got out of the bathroom. After a curious glance at the tag- which was worn and threading after being used so long- he realized that the washing instructions said it needed to be hand washed. Normally, he would have tossed it in the washer anyway, but this wasn't his dress shirt or some pair of pants, it was Max's favorite jacket, as far as he knew. It wasn't worth the risk of ruining it. David turned away from the laundry room and started towards the kitchen instead.

Warm water, some oxyclean, and one worn-out scrub brush later, he'd started to rinse the mud away from the fabric. Sleeves rolled to his elbows and a calm feeling once again in the air, David allowed himself a steadying breath. Little ripples turned to crashing waves, and yet in the aftermath, there was always a beach coated in shining new shells. The little things could mean a lot, and a calm moment may be rare but they were always nice.

David had never struggled to appreciate simplicity. Adoration settled best for him in early mornings, when the day went from a chilled, starry night to a canvas, striped in color and painted with the beauty that was a sunrise. He had no doubt that finding beauty even in the face of Max's rage could be his savior down the line. For now, he could just watch the colors change and enjoy the quiet. Afterall, once Max had gotten all the dirt off of him and changed into some warm clothes, he might be more open to talking than David could hope for. There were a lot of things the man still didn't know, and he'd just have to wait and find out whenever the time came.

A flicker of a smile on his face at the hopeful thought, David doubled is efforts to pull the grime away from the sweater and get it as close to new as he could. The excitement of the good news began to brighten his mood even more, feeling everything come together.

However, his thoughts stilled as soon as he yelped in reply to the resounding _crash_ from the bathroom upstairs.

Water and sweater forgotten, David tore out of the kitchen, up the stairs," _Max_?"

Silence from the bathroom, and David strained up on his tiptoes to grasp the key sitting on top of the doorframe,"Max? Are you okay?" He called urgently, fumbling to unlock the door.

Finally, the lock clicked, and David shoved the door open, searching the room for Max.

Near the tub, Max stood stock-still, eyes wide and dazed, fingers gripping the damp t-shirt in his hands for all it was worth. Around his alarmingly bare feet were hundreds of shards of glass and spilled soaps. The metal shelving that had been holding glass shelves had toppled forward and shattered. From where Max was standing, David could only assume he'd bumped it by mistake when he was taking off his shirt.

Hurriedly, he began putting on his shoes again,"Oh, okay, okay- Don't move, Max, I'll be right there,"

Max blinked a few times upon hearing his voice, and his gaze lifted to see David edging into the room, shoes on but not tied. He felt a cold fear grip his belly as David stepped forward. He wasn't smiling, he didn't say 'kiddo'... he'd broken something… Was he mad? David got frustrated, but he'd never been angry before. Fuck, the kid had never even seen the look on his face was getting closer, Max was losing time to run. Instinctively, Max tried to step away, forgetting the glass strewn over the floor.

David's breath caught in his throat, and he reached out instantly to grab his arm and _yank_ him into his hold at the last second. Max jerked forward with the movement, saving his foot from being impaled, and David pulled him safely into his arms, heart racing. He hugged the boy close, breath shaky as the image of what might have happened flashed across his eyes. The little camper's pants were still soaked from the mud puddle, and the cold water seeped quickly through David's slacks. He couldn't find it in himself to care.

Rattled and still terrified of seeing Max get hurt, David couldn't quite control his temper when he spoke,"I told you to stay _still_ , Max! What were you _thinking_?"

Max lost his voice, and his fight or flight drove him on auto.

He shoved at David's shoulders, shouting and trying to free himself so he could run. He didn't know David when he was angry- he didn't _like_ David when he was angry. He needed out now, _right now_. Everything was too close, and too loud, and David was still holding him and he couldn't get out. He felt caged and suffocated just from the room itself, and David wasn't letting him go. If Max didn't get out, he'd be trapped.

David struggled to keep his balance whilst Max was yelling and trying to get away,"Max- Come on- _Max_ ," David gasped his name as his knee buckled.

He stumbled back and slammed against the wall, the crunch of glass under his shoes following him while he strained to keep his footing, lest he fall and drop Max into the sea of broken glass. The air in his lungs was pushed out when he hit the wall, so once again he gasped. Max had stilled during the stumble back, but now he started to fidget again. David had barely managed to catch his breath, but he mustered up enough air to speak anyway.

" _Stop squirming_ ," He scolded, tightening his hold on Max while he stood upright again," _Now_. I mean it, Max,"

Max's hands stilled, however reluctantly. He held onto David's shirt while the man adjusted on his feet. David walked to the door as quickly as he could, before Max could start shoving again. His shoes were left on the bathroom tile, so he didn't track the glass everywhere.

Gently, he knelt to set Max down. The boy tried to run as soon as his feet hit the ground, and David almost toppled forward trying to grab him. He caught his arm and pulled him back ultimately, but Max just wouldn't stand still.

"Max- what is going on with you?" David asked, legitimately worried about him,"What are you running from?"

" _You_ ," Max spat; to David's surprise, he didn't try to claw his way out of the firm grip on his arm like last time, instead he pushed at Davids wrist to try and pry away," It was a stupid shelf, I barely bumped it! It's not my fault! You-you can't be mad at m-me for that! Let- let me _go_ ," his voice was angry, like any other time he demanded something of David, but what was worrisome was the underlying fear in his tone; David didn't like that one bit.

His heart nearly broke at the sight of him then, getting so frustrated that he couldn't get away that the kid had tears on his face, every inch of him tensed and poised to fight. It didn't help that David's eyes obsessed over every pink and white scar on his chest; he hadn't noticed when he was trying to get him away from the glass, but Max had already taken off his shirt and that left all of them open to the world. No wonder he was so petrified; he wasn't even thinking about David, he was thinking about what usually happened. What used to cause the scars, what happened anytime he made any mistake. He was on tunnel vision, and all he had as a defense was to run as far as he could. Defensive, quick breathing, probably a racing heart… To the counsellor, it looked almost like a panic attack, and he wanted desperately to help him.

"Max, Max, listen to me," David lowered his voice to a calm, steady tone,"Kiddo, pay attention,"

Max made a frustrated sound in his throat, but looked up at him finally, wild eyes searching his face; he was way too excited to sit still or hold David's eyes for more than a second.

David's face had no smile, but he spoke as comfortingly as he could,"I'm not angry with you, Max, I promise," he began, slowly,"I don't care about the shelves, or the glass, I care about you, kiddo-"

Max stopped fighting, and he held onto David's wrist instead.

David smiled,"See? That's good, you're okay. I'm right here, Max. Not the other people, it's David. You know me, don't you?" a goofy grin was forced, and he hoped Max couldn't see the worry behind it,"The guy who made all the campers dress up like little indians for the fire?"

Max didn't laugh or smile, but his eyes stopped darting around so much,"I know who you are,"

Smile wavering in the face of the solemn air, David continued,"Then you know I'm not gonna hurt you, don't you?"

His chest still moved rapidly with the quick, shallow breaths he continued to take,"I don't… what a-about the shelf?"

"Let me tell you now," David began,"I will _never_ lay a hand on you for doing something bad. I don't care what it was, or what it will be," His voice stayed stern, knowing if he didn't make his point _now,_ Max could be a mess like this anytime something happened,"I'm not gonna get angry with you for an accident either. That all it was. I didn't even like that shelf," he assured Max, jokingly smiling,"But I won't ever hurt you like that, Max. I… I wouldn't be able to live with myself... knowing I ever made you this scared,"

Hands shifted, they now lay against David's arm as more of a touch than a death-grip. He was listening, at least.

"I know that might not fix the fears you have," David added,"But I've said it now, and I'll say it until I'm blue in the face," After a pause, David began to worry more about his speeding heart and borderline hyperventilating breaths,"We can talk about that whenever you want, but for now...This might be silly to you, but can you follow my breath, buddy? It'll make you feel better. Just in and out with me, okay? In..."

David took in a breath of air dramatically, to show Max when he was pulling in air,"...and out…"

After a few repeated encouragements, Max was finally breathing in time with David. His blinks were going slower and slower, always heavier than the one before. After a scene like that, David had no doubt he was exhausted. His adrenaline had tapered off, leaving the weight of over-tensed muscles and rapid heart rate on the poor boy.

"You did so good, kiddo," David, in all honesty, felt a little selfish for enjoying how much praise he could give the kid without an eye roll,"If I let you go, do you promise not to run off?"

Slowly nodding, Max agreed.

David hesitated, but he let go of him; Thankfully, Max stayed still and didn't bolt off to his room,"Good, thank you. Are you tired?"

Another droopy nod.

"I thought so," David smiled a touch,"But we still need to get all the mud off of you before you go sleep,"

Max did not look happy at that; he must have been too tired to care about the grime, at this point.

David laughed softly,"I know. You can get a bath and get to bed first, okay?"

Max hummed, reaching up to rub at his eyes. When his hands fell to his sides again, he looked a little more awake and aware. Decided on his plan to get Max to bed, David stood up and put a hand on his shoulder for the second time. Again, no argument, and Max walked with him down the stairs, and into the guest bathroom.

Nudging him over to sit on the lid of the toilet again while he got a bath ready for him, David fixed his sleeves again so he could run the bath water. His knees were a touch sore after helping Max twice today, and he certainly didn't ignore the way they clicked when he knelt for the third time over. He went on to start the water, plug the drain, and, just for fun of course, drizzle some bubble bath in at the base of the porcelain tub. It smelled like lavender, and the aroma wafted through the room within minutes.

When he stood up again, David was a bit shaky. He did ignore that part, focused more on his sleepy-eyed boy waiting for a warm bath. Max had shut his eyes, and now wobbled back and forth on the makeshift chair. He was worn out, to say the least.

Gently, David touched his shoulder to get him to wake up a bit,"Can't sleep just yet, bud,"

A huff from him, but Max slid off onto his feet anyways and looked at the tub,"Just hurry up," He grumbled.

David chuckled,"Come on, then,"

Max cast a glare up at him,"I'm not fucking five, David,"

With a sigh, David nodded,"Trust me, I know," He assured,"But you're tired, and you scared me upstairs, Max,"

Continuing to glare, Max debated with himself while David went on.

"This will go much faster if you just let me help you," David smiled,"I even got bubbles,"

Ultimately, Max rolled his eyes,"Whatever. Turn around or something,"

Turning, David still had a smile on his face. After such a long day, it was nice to be able to just take care of Max when he needed it. He'd be up for a while after this, too. He had to finish Max's sweater, and clean up the glass on the bathroom floor, mop up the water from his of that was one step at a time on a very hectic first day home. For now, he was focused on getting Max a bath, calming him down, and getting him to bed.

Over the roar of the water filling the tub, he heard the quiet splashing of Max stepping in and sitting down. David waited a few moments.

"Can I turn around now?" He couldn't hide the smile in his voice.

"Yeah," Max sounded grumpy, but it didn't faze David's mood at all.

David hummed and turned back to the tub, where Max was immersed in the soft, scented bubbles,"Warm enough?"

A low sound was the only reply, as Max had his head drooped forward and his eyes closed. His pants and drawers were in a wet pile next to the tub, still soaking. David smiled anyways, and went to retrieve a rag. Before he knelt by the tub, he folded the bathmat under him in hopes that it might lessen the pressure.

It didn't.

He pushed the thought away, reaching over to shut the water off slowly. Now quiet aside from the occasional drip from the faucet, David took the white cup off the edge of the tub; usually he used it to hold rags, but this could be useful, too.

"Sit up a little for me," David urged him softly.

Max shifted forward without a word, eyes still shut peacefully. With a hum of approval, David filled the cup with water and brought it up to his collar bone, letting the water run over the scarred skin and pull the faint smears of mud away. He filled the cup again, and repeated the process over his neck and arms slowly.

"Doing okay, kiddo?" David checked.

After a nod, Max's eyes opened wearily. He blinked a few times, then turned his head downwards to the bubbles in the water. David went about his own motions, letting the water pour down his back and warm him up, pretending the scattered pink scars didn't make him sad. Slowly, Max cupped his hands under the bubbled and lifted upwards. He held a generous sized group of bubbles, raised it to his lips, and puffed out a breath. The bubbles flew to the wall, down to the tub, up into Max's hair. Out of the corner of his eye, David saw one land on his shoulder. He peered over at it before raising an eyebrow at Max, who was grinning tiredly. The counsellor pushed away thoughts of the scars, in favor of the smiling boy he had in front of him now.

"I thought you were tired, kiddo?" David chuckled.

Max shrugged,"I am. But you take fucking forever," he mumbled.

David laughed again, filling up the cup and raising a hand to Max's forehead to block the water from running into his eyes. The water wet his hair and flattened it, and the mud that ran out was grimy and tainted the bathwater a bit. How he'd managed to fall right into a mud trap was definitely a question David wanted answered.

Chikae had said he'd 'spaced out' suddenly when he walked outside. Maybe the wind startled him? David had no idea, but that seemed unlikely.

"Max, would you mind if I asked what happened outside?" David asked cautiously, not wanting to pick another fight when he was behaving so well.

Thankfully, Max was only quiet for a few minutes, still picking up bubbles and watching them run out of his hands,"I saw something,"

David frowned, a brief pause before he poured another cup of water over Max's hair,"What, like a squirrel? Maybe a coyote? There are some around here," he murmured.

Max scowled and clapped to scatter the bubbled around,"No, like a fucking… I don't know! Like I remembered some bullshit," He mumbled sourly.

A frown on his face again, David let the cup float in the water, taking the bottle of shampoo off the shelf and popping it open,"How do you mean? Was it of the past?"

A nod,"Yeah."

David pursed his lips, beginning to gently work the shampoo into his hair,"What was it of?"

The boy's eyes closed again, but his face looked a little less relaxed than before. He was hesitant to talk about it, that was pretty clear. But he seemed to be debating, at least. That was something.

Eventually, he spoke,"It was after they kicked me out," Vague, but it still made his point,"It… it was cold like today, I guess?... It fucking connected... in my head,"

David struggled not to smile upon seeing Max relax in his hands, trailing off. At this rate, he might fall asleep in the tub. While it was awfully sweet to watch, David needed to try to get as much detail out of him as he could. If he knew what was going on, maybe he could help. Take advantage of the little trick, David pressed forward with his questions, all the while carding his fingers through the boy's hair.

"Does this happen a lot?" he asked, lowering his voice to a quieter pitch.

Very lightly, Max nodded and gave a quiet 'mhm'.

"Well, how are you feeling now? Are you okay?"

"Mm,"

"Still tired?"

" _Dude_ ,"

David chuckled, deciding to quit while he was ahead,"Alright, I get it,"

Lifting the cup with water again, David cupped his hands over Max's forehead again and washed the suds out of his curly hair. After a few rinses, the water was running clean again, and David set about coaxing the conditioner into his hair. His hair was thick, and knotted in some areas, but it was a lot easier to manage when he was putting in conditioner instead of just shampoo. He made a mental note to himself to get some sort of detangler next time he went to the store.

When Davey was satisfied Max's hair was scrubbed, he once again rinsed the suds away from the curls into the bath water. Soap free, David finally sat upwards, rather than bent at the hips to lean over the tub. A choked whimper accompanied a wince of pain upon feeling his back ache angrily in protest.

"Okay, pull the plug for me, please?" David requested, standing up with another grimace to get a towel.

Max grumbled and slumped forward to unplug the water, still weighed down with the need to sleep. Davey got a towel and offered it to the kid, keeping his head turned away and his eyes shut. He heard the telltale swishing of the water, and the towel was grabbed slowly from his hand. David counted a few moments in his head, patient as always.

"Ready now?" David inquired.

"Yeah,"

Davey turned with a smile,"Alright, let's get your hair all dry,"

Max groaned, holding the towel around his waist,"Do you really have to?"

"If you go to bed with cold hair, you could get sick," David warned, pulling a travel-friendly hair dryer from under the cabinet.

Max gave a put upon sigh, walking to the sink where David was plugging in the little trinket. He put his hands on the edge of the sink, not quite able to see into the mirror above it because of his height. He frowned, the chill if the porcelain making goosebumps rise.

"Where's my sweatshirt?" Max asked, looking at his hands.

"Oh, uh," _In the sink, water-logged and filthy_ ,"It's being washed right now, kiddo. You can have it in the morning,"

Max glared and turned his gaze up to David,"Im not going to bed til I have it,"

Even under his frown, David nodded,"That's alright. I'll make sure it gets dried before too long,"

He watched him for another few seconds, then finally turned back to the sink and lay his cheek against his hands, stilling holding the edge. Behind him, David began gently pulling through his hair with a comb.

"Tell me if I tug too much okay?" David hoped, not wanting to hurt him.

Max grumbled in reply,"Fine,"

Moving on, David worked from bottom to top, slowly and carefully pulling through each curly tangle to brush it out. As he went along, he saw more split end than he would have liked. Some patches of his hair were short than others, as well. Not noticeable to someone just looking at him, but David felt the length between his fingers when he tried to pull the curls straight. He frowned, remembering Max had mentioned that he'd been yanked around by his hair. He wondered how often it had been ripped out, broken off. This just wouldn't sit well with David. Something had to be done about it.

"David, what the fuck are you doing?" Max grumbled, and David made a quiet sound of surprise, looking into the mirror to see Max staring at him.

"When's the last time you had a haircut?" He asked, surprising himself with the blunt phrasing.

Max scowled, confused,"I don't know! Why does it matter?"

A smile, and David explained,"Alright, Max, how about this," David suggested softly,"Your sweater is gonna be a while, so how about I make you something to eat in the meantime? And after that, your shirt can be drying, and...I can cut your hair?"

David lifted his eyes to Max's in the mirror, and the boy rolled his eyes,"Whatever gets that fuckin look off your face," he huffed, turning from the mirror and walking to the door.

David, flustered, hurried to gather his things to take out to the living room,"R-right, yeah!"


	12. Bed and Breakfast

The kitchen smelled faintly of grilled cheese when David came back from putting Max's sweatshirt in the dryer. The boy had mocked him mercilessly for washing it by hand -apparently it had not been necessary after all- and teased David for the fact that he had, essentially, 'Taken orders from a paper tag'. Flustered, David pouted while he cut up apples to accompany Max's sandwich, as well as a cup of ice pwater and a cookie.

/ was sitting in the living room at the moment, changed into a shirt from his bag with long sleeves and track shorts. He ate off the coffee table and watched TV, looking less tired but still relaxed. His hair was damp, still dripping water onto his shirt every now and again. After he'd gotten the towel off the couch and carefully squeezed a bit more water out of his hair, David took the time to sneak away to the bathroom upstairs and start sweeping up the mess.

It took a little while, but eventually David managed to pluck out the larger chunks and put them into the metal trash can, and sweep the tinier shards into a coffee can to be thrown away without making a mess. Max followed him up when he lugged the vacuum upstairs, wanting to sweep up any teeny tiny pieces left over.

"Everything ok, kiddo?" David puffed, winded slightly.

Max nodded, holding the door frame and peering around the corner into the room. The counsellor stepped beside him with the sweeper in tow, clicking it on before kneeling to use the hose along the grooves; the painful click told him tomorrow was a well deserved day of resting. Carefully, he dug through all the little corners in the room, pulling away any glass missed by the broom or David's tedious picking up.

When he was finally convinced he'd cleaned it all up, David stood upright and winced when he leaned back to pop his back after bending over so long. He turned off the vacuum and admired his work in the room. No more worrying about Max accidentally hurting himself, that made David appreciate the cleaning even more. The man smiled and glanced at the door, but Max was gone from the hallway. Stepping over the cord to the vacuum, David tugged the plug free and began rolling it up. He left the sweeper beside the bathroom, worry bubbling in the back of his mind. He was wary of leaving Max alone after the bathroom incident, so he trotted down the stairs. He was pleased to find him sitting on the floor with another cookie in his small hands.

David smiled and stepped up to the couch, picking up the scissors and comb he'd set down before he made dinner,"Let's get your hair handled, kiddo,"

Max huffed an exasperated breath, but he didn't move when David sat behind him on the couch. The boy was between his feet, giving David full reign on his mop of hair. He slowly pulled the comb through his hair just to rebrush it, making sure not to pull. On the TV, some sort of crime show was playing, running a shooting scene with dramatic music, leaving Max enthralled in the plot despite the counsellors distaste for something so violent.

He didn't want to cut too much of his hair, knowing too much change at once could be problematic for the boy. He snipped here and there, shortening the curls enough that it wouldn't take as long for the damaged roots to catch up. There were many spots that David was careful about trimming; it was hard to cut curly hair in the first place, but trying to even it out was even more difficult.

Despite his struggling, David made more or less quick work of the haircut. He set the scissors and comb on the table and ran his fingers through Max's hair gently, pulling it lightly through his fingers to check the length on either side. Satisfied that it was even, he gave the boy's hair a little rufflle, shaking the excess hair away from his scalp and his shoulders onto the carpet.

"Alright. You tired, bucko?" David hummed, leaning forward a bit.

Max's eyes were closed, cookie still half eaten in his hand,"Mm- Uh, yeah," He opened his eyes and blinked, glancing down at his hand, as if he had dozed off.

The boy sat up and put the cookie on the table before standing. Still stood in front of David, he lifted his hands to his head to mess with his hair. He didn't comment on it, or really do much but twirl a strand around his finger. He was evidently sleepy, and David couldn't help a small smile at the sight of him. He stepped away from his knee and slumped on the couch, eyes shut once more. He put his elbow up on the arm of the couch, his cheek resting into his palm.

"Thought you were tired?" David raised an eyebrow at him, curious.

Max's brow furrowed,"My hoodie,"

"Oh!" David remembered the dryer then and stood out of his seat, nudging past max to hurry to the laundry room.

As he made his way back to the laundry room, his phone began to buzz in his pocket. He lifted it out of his slacks and pulled his lip between his teeth, heart sinking- It was Gwen. The things they had said to one another rushed to his head again, and David was less eager to lift the phone to his ear.

"Hiya Gwen," He tried to sound as chipper as he could.

" _Don't, David,"_ Gwen's voice had lost the last touch of patience in her voice; she sighed," _Did you get to work ok?"_

David frowned, a bit taken by surprise,"I- Well I… got to work just fine, I've been home for a while now,"

" _Yeah, I know, the fuckin… uh the home appointment. How'd it go?"_

David leaned against the wall, glancing back towards the door of the laundry room incase Max walked in,"It went very well, I think,"

" _What- how do you mean?"_

"Max is… he's home. They said the appointment was the last step… His bag is upstairs, I was trying to get his sweatshirt out of the dryer when you called," David explained softly.

Quiet from the other end of the line.

David crossed his free arm over his stomach as in a little self hug,"He's been great so far! We had a talk about important stuff, he got dinner and a bath…" Still quiet,"I even just finished giving him a haircut!"

Finally, Gwen spoke," _Fucking… David, good god a haircut?"_

David wilted, shutting his eyes as he felt the disdain in her voice sink in,"Gwen,"

" _No! David, what the fuck are you doing? I called to fucking say sorry, and talk you out of this like a fucking adult and he's already home? You've got to be fucking kidding me!"_

David heard the hitch in his own voice when he spoke,"I meant what I said earlier, Gwendolyn-"

" _I- What, no! You don't get to fucking call me that! You're a fucking lunatic, David, you're 24! You're wasting your life trying to do this!"_

"I'm a- what? Wasting my _life_?"

" _You can't tell me I'm wrong,"_

"Right," David whispered,"Just like I'm wasting my life at camp, right?"

" _David that isn't-"_

"No! Everything I do! It's always a waste of my time. It's as if putting effort forward in the _slightest amount_ is- is _baffling_ to you!"

" _Excuse me? I worked my ass off in college and still ended up at that waste of space you call a fucking summer camp!"_

"And you know what? I've never done anything but support you! I've always believed in you, Gwen!" David felt hot tears rolled down his face, but his eyes were glazed over, focused solely on his words- how _dare_ she call Max a waste,"And I- you know what? I'm done with that."

" _Done what? Done keeping your fucking head in your ass?"_

David's nose crinkled, emotions rolling high while he tried to speak,"I'm done with you," He whispered, voice low,"Don't call me again, obviously I'm just a waste of your breath and phone bill. Goodbye,"

He hung up and promptly burst into tears, even though he was silent. He didn't want to worry Max after all, he just needed a few minutes. His back hit the wall and he slid back against it, putting his arms against his knees and burying his face into his shirt sleeves.

He had always supported Gwen. He was there when she wanted a new job, when she dated new people, when she considered quitting one, two, _three_ different times. He was _always_ there for her, why couldn't she give him the same commitment? It was unquestionably frustrating to handle. He wanted his best friend back, but he had no idea how to convince her to embrace this sort of change. Maybe she just needed time…

"Dude, what are you fucking doing?"

Max's voice startled him, along with the soft patter of feet approaching. He got up as quickly as he could and wiped his eyes. He moved towards the dyer before Max finally appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry buddy," David said, hoping his voice sounded normal,"Got distracted on my phone,"He opened the dryer and pulled the little blue sweater out of the machine.

Max took it when David offered the item toward him, and gazed down at it for a little while before speaking,"Who was it?"

David swallowed,"Hm? Wh-what do you mean,"

"Who called?"

David busied himself with switching out the rest of Max's clothes, avoiding his piercing and inquisitive gaze,"Nobody, just something on facebook kiddo. Nothing to worry about, of course!"

There was quiet, then finally David spared a glance down to the boy. Max looked back, paused, then scowled.

"So much for open and honest, right? We're just throwing that shit out the fucking window?" He snarled, visibly irritated.

David dropped the clothes on top of the dryer in a rush as Max's feet turned to leave, reaching forward to pull at his arm and hold him in the room,"No! No, no Max, I… Oh, darn it," He let go of Max's arm and covered his face, feeling tears fill again,"It… i-it was Gwen, alright?" He dropped his hands and hugged himself,"She's still mad at me,"

"Because I'm here, right?" Max's face still held a scowl.

"No! No, of course… of… ah," David shook his head and tapped his hand to his forehead,"She was… _is_ upset that I adopted you, yes, Max."

Max rolled his eyes,"Yeah well whatever. She's being a bitch,"

David frowned and sniffled,"Oh, come on now, let's not do that tonight,"

Max pulled the sweater over his head and walked back to the door,"Well, she is,"He mumbled grumpily.

David huffed a sigh and wiped at his eyes, with a few more sniffles. When he felt he'd collected himself, he stood and went back out to the living room, intending to get Max up to bed and hopefully follow suit. However, the living room was empty when he went out there. Upstairs, there was a faint click of a door. Max was already in his room. David bit his lip to keep himself together, crossing his arms.

"Max?" He called.

A pause, then the door clicked, and,"What?"

David frowned,"Are we ok buddy?"

David waited patiently for the quiet to pass by, listening for anything Max might say.

"Yeah," He finally called,"Fine,"

David took as much solace as he could from the clipped reply, whilst listening to the door upstairs shut again. He sighed solemnly and ambled further into the room towards the coffee table. He put the remaining half eaten cookie on the plate from grilled cheese and lifted the glass of water into the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves so he could get them washed before he went to bed.

Standing over the sink full of suds, David used a sponge to scrub away the cheese melted on the plate. He had time to think at least. About Gwen mostly, considering she had been fighting this from day one and even through the whole ordeal, she had not once budged to see his side. No discussion, no support. She had hated the idea of this from start to finish. Why?

David put the time in, he put _more_ than enough of his energy into it. Every late night and stressed out little cry. He had put everything into this, and Gwen had just… just… _spit_ on it. What gave her the right to act so nastily towards the two of them? What caused the sudden hatred for Max? David continued through his list of questions, all the while scrubbing away at the plate in his hands. She was being ridiculous, no doubt! To have such hateful things to say was just… just hateful! David rinsed the plate and dried his hands, pulling his phone from his pocket, frustration having built up. He wanted to talk about it, right this second.

He dialed Gwens number and lifted the phone to his ear, his hand impatiently settled on his hip to accompany his frown. The phone rang once, then twice, but the second time David heard something else accompanying it. Some sort of little jingle? A third time, and David lowered his phone away from his ear. He distinctly heard the familiar ringtone of Gwen's cell.

"... _Bacon pancakes, that's what it's gonna make…_ "

David glanced in the direction it was coming from, towards the front door. In his hands, the call was declined. The ringing stopped, and the vibration in his hand ceased with it. He started for the door, and yanked it open. The rain was still coming down hard, but David saw her regardless; Gwen was halfway down the porch steps, walking away.

" _Gwendolyn."_

Apparently the sternness in his voice cut through to Gwen just as it did Max; the girl stopped mid step, but stayed looking away. Her shoulders rose, and David saw the glow of her phone in her hand.

David's eyes softened, knowing the way she insisted on hiding when she was distressed, and reminding himself that anger or frustration isn't going to fix anything. He needed to be calm, and breathe through it or they would never patch it up.

"Come inside," he said, his voice a touch softer even while underneath the firm no-nonsense voice remained,"Please, just talk to me,"

Gwen stayed where she was for a few seconds, then her head drooped,"God… _David_ …" Her voice was tight.

"What did you expect me to say?" David asked, almost immediately frustrated with her, crossing his arms,"You- You show up here in the middle of the night and you think I'm just going to send you off?"

Gwen finally turned around, even if partially, her hand was lifted to her face and wiping under her eyes,"That's not what I wanted…"

"Then what did you _want_?" David huffed,"What, were you going to come over and take Max back to the home? Were you going to take him yourself? Do you think you could do a better job than me, is that what this is?"

"Jesus," Gwen cursed, and finally looked at him,"No, David, fuckin hell,"

"Then _what_ ," David's voice jumped a few octaves, feeling his previous frustration burn again while tears pooled in the corners of his eyes.,"What is making you hate him so much?"

"I don't hate him!" She snapped right back, scowling at him.

"You could have fooled me!"

"Jesus can you just let me-?"

"No! I'm done letting you talk! Every time you talk you yell about me or Max or something else," David interjected, reaching behind him to close the door, lest his voice carry up to Max,"I just want to understand. Why can't you just be happy for me? How many times have I been there, and cheered you on, and- and just been excited for you even when you were trying to leave the camp or find someone else on that silly dating app!"

"That's different, you could get hurt doing this," Gwen insisted.

"It's exactly the same, Gwen! You got hurt too, and I was there even after I told you it wasn't the best idea. I told you who I didn't trust on that app, and you completely ignored me every time and went on the date, only to have me drive out to pick you up at 2 am because he started getting rough," David explained, desperate for a straight answer from her even as he felt the icy bite of the watery tears start to freeze in the cold air,"I was your 'Emergency from the hospital' call, your designated driver, your _therapist_ for _years_ , and you can't give me one chance to make this work?"

"That's the problem!" Gwen shouted right back,"You did all of that for me and I… fucking damnit,"

David stepped closer, watching her eyes,"What? Just tell me!"

"I- I'm just gonna miss you ok?" Gwen hissed,"Is that what you wanted to fucking hear?"

David's expression shifted quickly to confusion,"Miss me… what are you talking about?"

"Max!" Gwen huffed,"You did all that for me and he's gonna need that too," She covered her face and gave a groan of frustration,"I didn't want you to take Max at first because it was gonna be complicated and I just didn't know if you would be able to stick it out with him, but then he ran downstairs and told you all of that when we were in the lobby and I realized he wasn't the problem anymore,"

David watched her walk past, sitting on the chair next to the front door, slumped over with her head in her hands. The arms crossed over his chest turned into something more like a self-hug, and he waited for her to continue. She was quiet for a few moments, then her shoulders shook and a soft, muffled sob reached David's ears. Just as he stepped forward to comfort her, she moved her hands and threw them out in a surrendering gesture.

"I didn't want to lose my best friend," She whispered, her voice choked,"You're a dad now a-and I always feel like I'm over here trying to play catch up to you, we're supposed to be on the same step," Gwen wiped at her eyes,"You just took like thirty steps ahead of me by getting Max,"

David frowned softly,"Gwen… that's not what's going to happen,"

"You don't know that!" She wailed, looking up at him with a desperately sad face,"You can't promise me it won't either, if it ever comes down to it, me or him, it's going to be him," She shook her head,"And I-I get that! He's a kid, he needs you, I just… fuck Davey I need you too,"

David bit his lip. She was right, and he knew it. He couldn't promise anything, because Max was a handful even without the teenage hormones and the dating and anything else the older years would bring. Things might go wrong down the line and David would have to put in more than he already was. But, at the end of it, he did want gwen to be there to talk to and to hang out with when he got the chance. He wanted her to be there just as much as she did.

"I… can't promise that. That's fair," he admitted,"But… Even if I get busy with Max or my parents or life, I want to talk to you at the end of it," And he truthfully did, he loved to talk on the phone with Gwen at the end of a long day,"I know it might change, but I'm still gonna be here. And who cares what step I'm on? All that means is I can give you better advice down the road,"

Gwen wiped at her eyes with a huff,"Yeah…" She laughed, but it was a little humorless,"Sorry, I know it's late and I'm just a mess,"

Sitting in front of Gwen, David shook his head,"No, it's fine Gwen. Max just went to bed, I was just cleaning. I'm glad you came over," he offered a small smile,"I might be a morning person but sometimes I can swing on the night owl side," He joked, and was happy to hear a little laugh behind the tears.

"Right, I kinda forgot he was staying here tonight," She mumbled, wiping away the last of her tears, leaving behind red puffy eyes and a sniffly nose,"How was he…?"

David smiled,"Y'know, I've been waiting for you to ask that since this morning," He hummed,"Let's go inside,"

Gwen nodded and smiled tightly, taking his hand when he offered it to stand. He led her into the house, quietly shutting the door. Max hadn't come downstairs, and so far it seemed he wouldn't be coming down anytime soon. David went to the kitchen to make some coffee for Gwen, and in the meantime washed the cup Max used from dinner. Once the coffee was done, he sat next to her on the couch to offer a warm mug. And then, they talked.

" _The whole thing?" Gwen gasped,"Just- boom?"_

 _David laughed outright,"The whole thing! I can't believe it broke today of all days," He lifted the mug of cocoa to his lips to drink._

" _Jeez, you had that thing for forever," Gwen tsked,"Wasn't it your Grandma's?"_

 _David nodded,"Yeah, it was in storage and I thought it looked like an antique. I took it before I realized it was wobbly," A shrug,"I told Max that I hated it, for the record. He was really shaken up, I wanted to calm him down,"_

 _A hum from his friend,"Ah. Well you got him to bed, at least," She sipped her coffee, then snickered softly,"I can't believe you threatened to wash his mouth out, Davey,"_

 _A gasp from the counsellor, eyes wide,"I know! I thought it but I didn't mean to say it!" he laughed, flustered,"Oh god, the look on his face," David moaned in embarrassment, covering his face._

 _Gwen giggled at him again and picked up her phone from the coffee table, checking the time,"Fuck, it's like 2 already. I should get going," Her cup clinked as it touched down on the table._

 _David hummed; he had been feeling his eyes start to droop for a while now,"Are you sure? You're okay?"_

 _Gwen smiled a bit,"Yeah. I am," She pushed his bangs back, her face heated,"I probably should have just fuckin told you earlier huh?"_

 _David chuckled,"I'll bet it would have saved both of us some trouble,"_

David recalled the conversation from the night before, slowly waking up. He had apparently slept on the couch, and the crick in his neck was sore enough that he knew even before he had moved. He eased up on the couch slowly, rubbing the sore patch on his shoulder. He groaned softly, a grimace on his face. Once he'd gotten his phone, he unlocked it and saw the time; 4:36. It was way too early to do anything but check his phone and quietly turn on the tv.

Max's skin burned like fire.

He had woken up in a cold sweat, gripping the pillow while he laid on his side. That dream was more vivid than any of the ones before it. They were getting worse, it seemed. He stared ahead at the dark wall, too scared to move for a solid two or three minutes. Finally, the heat got to him, and he slowly tried to shift the blanket off of his chest. The sound of fabric moving after silence was like boulders crashing down the side of a mountain. A pause, he took a deep breath, and pushed the covers off quickly. Breath, and he bolted out of bed to the wall to turn on the lights, scanning the room while his heart raced in panic. Nothing out of place. No grabbing hands, no blackened eyes. Just him, alone in his new room. Alone in his room.

Alone.

Max started picking at the pocket of his sweater. Back against the wall, he really started to feel the size of the room. It wasn't massive, no, but it absolutely felt like it. With David running around, it didn't seem so eerie, but David was sleeping, the house was quiet, and the… the Tv is on? Max's brow creased, confused as to why he heard the soft, muffled singing of the theme song from _How I Met Your Mother_ coming from the first floor if David was supposedly asleep. The handle of the door sent a chill up his arm when he touched it, but he pushed the door open anyways.

The sound got a little clearer after opening the door, but it was still distant, so Max quietly crept towards the stairs after shutting his door. He put gentle pressure on each step, silent as he walked down them. It was still dark out, if he needed to he could run back upstairs without getting caught out of bed. Always a handy trick in a pinch.

The turned down with the stairs, and saw the flickering light of the TV against the wall. A few more steps, and he saw David sitting on the couch, a peaceful look on his face. How long had he been up?

Max gripped the fabric on his stomach hard when a soft growl emanated from his belly. Breakfast sounded pretty damn good right now. That would mean passing by David though. Maybe this was some weird private time David had, and interrupting it was just gonna cause problems? David was a pretty happy go lucky dude, he had to have some sort of relaxed time to just veg out. It was either mess up his time or go back into the bedroom and sit there.

While Max debated, David shifted on the couch. In his moving, his eyes jumped up to the stairs and saw a little figure peeking around the corner. He gasped and stared, startled because he hadn't heard anything from the stairs and suddenly the kid was just _there_. Her put a hand to his chest and laughed, seeing the curly mop of hair and blue sweater he knew so well.

"You scared me," He chuckled, smiling,"What are doin' up kiddo? Not tired?"

Max, still reeling at the fact that David managed to catch him, was too busy feeling out the situation to think about a lie,"Dream woke me up,"

A concerned gaze from David made the comforting smile slip slowly away,"Oh? A nightmare?"

A pause while Max thought, remaining stock still on the stairs. He nodded his head in reply.

Anxiety drove David's heel to lift and fall on the carpet in a nervous tapping,"Do you want to talk about it?" A no, in the form if a shaken head,"That's fine. But could you come out here? It's a little odd talking across the room into a dark stairway," David smiled cheekily.

After a moment of hesitation, Max stepped down the stairs the rest of the way and came to sit on the couch. His sleeves flopped into his lap, still fingering the torn up edges while David went on talking.

"Alright. Well what about breakfast? Oh! How about we both get into some pjs and go out to waffle house?"

Max glanced down at his own version of pjs- a pair of track shorts and his baggy sweatshirt- before answering back,"I'll wear jeans,"

"Aw come on!" David sulked,"It's not even six in the morning, buddy! Everyone's gonna be out and about in jammies!"

Max wrinkled his nose,"Well I don't _have_ 'jammies'," he huffed,"It's too fuckin cold for shorts,"

"We can just go shopping for clothes then!" He offered,"There's a Kohls downtown! We could go on and-"

"David," A flat, unamused tone,"You're _broke_.

A pursed-lipped sulk crossed David's face,"Hey now… I got paid today actually,"

"So what, you don't have bills to pay?" Max wasn't impressed, crossing his arms.

David, once again wondering how Max had gone from such a stubborn kid to the voice of reason, sighed softly,"I do. I just thought, since it's your first night here and all…"

Max still glared, unwavering on the surface. David had no money to spare, point blank, and that was a serious problem when it came to buying extra stuff. But, on the flip side, shopping for something other than summer clothes sounded pretty damn good. He rolled his eyes, getting up off the couch with a decision in mind, off to go change.

"Get your keys, dumbass," He grumbled, climbing the stairs.

David, despite the solemn reminder that cash was tight, jumped up to grab keys like Max said, sure he could find deals at Kohls and save as much money as he could. After all, bills weren't due until the end of the month and he'd have another paycheck before then. Everything would be fine! Pocketing his keys, his jacket slipped over his shoulders with ease and he worked his tennis shoes onto his feet. He shut the tv off just as he heard Max's steps down the hall. He appeared in jeans and tennis shoes like usual, as well as the familiar blue sweatshirt. His hands remained in his pockets.

"Let's go," he muttered, and David opened the door to allow him through before following close behind.

The cold wind bit at his cheeks, but Max just nuzzled his face further down into his sweatshirt to keep from frosting over. David locked the door and caught up to his side, only the muffled crunch of soggy leafs under their feet to break the otherwise silent air. The car was parked right where David left it, near the curved path he considered his driveway, hidden from the road ahead. He pressed the button on his keys twice to unlock it, and a third other button to start the car. Maxs steps faltered upon hearing the engine rev without them even being near the vehicle, and looked straight to David with a scowl.

"What the fuck happened?" He asked, walking towards the man rather than the passenger side.

David paused, giving him a curious gaze,"Hm? Oh! The auto start," he smiled,"The button let's me start it even without getting in. I'll show you,"

David pressed the button again, and killed the engine. He offered the little keychain to Max, pointing at the start button. Max took the little box into his hands and, after studying the small button, pointed it at the car and pushed down. Like last time, the car hummed to life once more. Max looked down at the button, nose wrinkled in a confused wonder. David smiled and nudged him towards the passenger side of the car, gently taking the keys back.

"Let's get going before we turn into popsicles," he joked,"Off to Kohls!"

Max shrugged and got into the car, unhappy to discover that it was still just as chilly as the outside air. The fabric seat cooled the backs of his thighs, and his internal temp plummeted. He shivered and reached to crank up the heat. David, also burdened with goosebumps, raised no objection to it and shut his door. With this temperature, he was lucky the car started so quickly.

Max focused on gathering warmth for the first few minutes of the drive, stubborn goosebumps still standing on his arms. When the brisk chill had finally left, he turned to watch the window. The glass fogged, his breath warmer than even the air, apparently. He lifted his thumb and swiped a little dot, then a second, and a straight line to make a sort of 'meh' face. Life was pretty meh, but it wasn't too bad. He huffed another breath, and the face disappeared. He wiped it with his hand, and revealed the shops around downtown. One of which, a party store, and Max was reminded of Nikki's invitation.

"Hey," he spoke, his feet nudging forward and back in a small swing,"Nikki is having a party today… can I go?"

David would have to admit he was giddy upon realizing Max was asking a kid question rather than something serious and distressing,"Sure! When is it? Do you need to bring a dish?" He chirped, cheery.

Max shrugged,"I dunno. I told her I might be at the home still, so…"

David hummed,"Alright. Well, how about you get ahold of her and we can pick up some stuff to make oreo balls in the meantime! If she doesn't answer, we can just eat the snack we made!"

Max tugged his phone out of his pocket,"Nikki texts back pretty fast," he said,"And what the fuck are oreo balls?"

David chuckled,"Basically, you take a whole big pack of oreos and crush them up real small, then mix them with cream cheese. Roll them into little balls and dip them in white chocolate!"

Max hummed,"Okay," he sent a message to the chat.

 **Max** : **4:56 am;** _Hey, when's the party?_

He realized then how early it was and shut his phone off, knowing even though Nikki messaged pretty quick that she probably hadn't even rolled out of bed yet,"It's the asscrack of dawn, David, is Kohls even open right now?"

David bit his lip,"Oh, you may be right,"

"So where the fuck are we going?"

Tapping his thumb on the steering wheel, David wondere what was open so early,"Uh… is target open at the moment?"

"Why don't you look it up?"

David huffed,"Im driving, kiddo! You look it up,"

Max rolled his eyes and turned on his phone again, searching up 'Target Hours' on google. Up popped the results; 8am-11pm.

"No, they open at eight,"

"Meijers?"

"Ugh."

'Meijer Hours' on google yielded a pleasing result, a 24 hour store.

"Meijer is good for 24 hours," Max said,"There's one 3 miles back the other way,"

"Whoops," David chuckled, switching his turn signal to change lanes on,"We'll get there eventually!"

Max shut off his phone again and pushed it into his jeans pocket. Usually it would reside with his hands, warmly kept in his hoodie pocket, but right now there was 130 dollars cash sitting under his fingers. He had a little bit more priority to keep contact with the money than his phone.

The only reason he had it is because he really did need some new clothes, considering school was starting next week and he had one pair of shorts and maybe four decent pairs of jeans. He needed some new threads before class, and apparently that included pjs for David. The dude went through shit to make sure he got adopted, the least Max could do was snag a cheap pair of sweats and call it a day.

Just like David said, eventually they did get to Meijer. Once again they stepped out into cold wintery air, and Max buried his face in the collar of his sweatshirt to keep from freezing. Not very many people were there, so they at least got a spot to park that was close, and they got inside relatively quick.

The bright, luminous and starched white lighting made Max avert his eyes for the first little while, wondering why they would ever light it so brightly this early in the morning. David trucked along happy as ever, apparently not phased.

"Ooh! How about you go look for clothes and in the meantime I'll get the stuff for oreo balls?" David suggested, still smiling cheek to cheek.

Max nodded,"Ok,"

"Alright! Text me if you need me, ok?" He hummed, and patted Max's head gently before walking off towards the grocery section.

Max stuck his hands back in his pocket and wandered down an aisle, looking up at signs to find the 'Boys' section. Some plain tshirts and jeans, and some socks. The jeans met him first, and he dug around to find the right size. Two pairs for 20 bucks sounded good enough for him. He put them over his shoulder and continued forward to find some shirts to accompany them.

He liked the softer fabrics of some, and tried to find plain shirts with the same fabric but ultimately failed. He settled instead for a pack of rolled shirts, two white, two black, and two grey. He poked a finger through the plastic packaging and felt them- stiff and a bit rougher than the shirts he wanted, but still wearable. He grabbed it and counted his total- 53.99. So, basically, 54. On to socks next.

He neared the little section for shoes and socks for everyone and his phone buzzed in his pocket.

 **David: 5:02 am;** _I found all the stuff! I'll be up at the self check, come find me when you get done!_

Max tucked away his phone and grabbed the first pack of long socks that he saw. He still had to grab sweatpants before he went to the checkout. He hoped he could get there first and check out before David saw him. At least if he did he could lie about how much he spent, make it seem like he only had a small chunk of change with him and just wanted it spent. Make up something about not needing the emergency cash anymore. On the flip side, he knew truthfully he would never give it up so easy for anyone else, so he supposed it wasn't a total lie, after all. He had spent it on something he didn't _absolutely need_. He shook his head and carried on to the pjs.

He grabbed a pair of thick, dark grey sweats and was more than pleased they were soft on the inside. He would have to change before he left. The pair of pants drove his total up to 63. He had kind of hoped to buy more of his clothes from a thrift shop, since it would have been a helluva lot cheaper. But, it was done now and Max headed to the check out.

He had a breath of relief when he realized David hadn't gotten there yet. He strolled up to a self check and scanned his clothes item by item as quick as the machine would let him. He had to stretch on his toes to see the total on screen- about 67. Max has totally forgotten to account for taxes. He shrugged it off and pulled the wad of change from his pocket and counted through to pull away the right amount. He had taken more of the bigger bills out of Honeynuts, to make everything more convenient, but there was still a considerably large chunk of just one dollar bills. After all, most of it had been scrounged up finding it at the old homes.

He had counted out 40 or so before someone spoke to his right,"Hey, kiddo,"

It was immediately too gruff to be David's cheerful voice, despite the similar nickname, and Max yanked his money close to his chest and turned to see who it was. It looked to be a guard of some sort, and the self checkout monitor was standing behind him, looking concerned.

"Would you mind if I ask where you got all that money, son?" The guard asked.

 _This bastard_ , Max thought.

"I do chores," he answered plainly, begging his heart to stop hammering against his ribcage,"What's it to you?"

"Now don't go lying to me," the guy said, as if scolding him,"The only time I see a kid with such a big stack of cash is if they made off with it from somewhere," his voice was no longer polite, but instead disapproving and testing,"I think we ought to call your parents and sort this out, don't you think?"

His hand reached for Max's arm, and Max shoved the cash in his pocket, turned, and bolted the opposite direction. There was yelling behind him, but his could only just hear it over the thrum of his racing heartbeat. He ran straight away down the checkout lanes, looking back every second or so. The guard was speaking on some sort of mic, and Max could only watch while he ran after the boy. And suddenly-

"Max!"

The little camper's head whipped to face front again, just seconds before he slammed into David. The counsellor was stunned, to say the least, but managed to keep from falling or dropping his items. Worry creased his features, eyes searching Max for an explanation. Meanwhile, Max picked himself up off the floor and ran behind his guardian, pointedly putting the man between himself and the guard still racing towards them.

"Are you his father?" He asked, clearly winded as he neared the pair.

David frowned,"I am," he shifted his stuff into one arm, reaching behind to settle a hand on Max's head in a protective gesture; for once, Max had no objection.

"Then you can tell me where he got so much money?" He confirmed, waving a hand towards the boy "Looked like two hundred some dollars the kid had,"

David felt his heart sink a little, knowing exactly where the money came from,"He does chores at home for me, in the yard and such,"

The guard glanced back down at Max, who had a deep set scowl on his face,"Alrighty then. You can understand my doubts though. Kid's barely twelve and has a mountain like that? Hard to believe,"

David had a tight smile on his face, his thumb gently rubbing against Max's hairline,"Of course! He's been saving up for some time now, he sure does love to buy things for himself,"

The dolt chuckled, a smile easing on his face,"Well, a good morning to the both of you,"

David nodded,"Good morning, sir. Max, tell the man Good morning,"

Max scowled,"What? No! That bastard-" Max had a string of words to spout off in response to the outrageous request, but he looked up and saw the look on David's face, and suddenly his demand seemed a lot more reasonable.

He swallowed his pride for the moment and grit his teeth,"Good morning… _sir_ ,"

The guy gave a grin and nodded his head before walking off to bug someone else. Max stepped back, away from his grip on David's pants, sure David was going to give him a lecture of some sort. Just as predicted, David frowned down at him while he spoke.

"Max, tell me the truth," he said,"Why did you bring that money?"

Max, even despite wanting to roll his eyes, found himself looking away from David's stern gaze,"You're broke, I needed clothes."

"Is that the truth?"

The boy huffed, frustrated,"Yes! God, David," he crossed his arms,"Clothes are expensive, okay? It's my shit, I can get it,"

David knelt, and his eyes were serious and unwavering,"I'm here for a reason. I'm supposed to buy the clothes, and the food, and all of the things you need. Clothes are expensive? So are kids," he said, and Max shifted his weight from foot to foot,"I'm pulled a bit tight right now, but don't forget that you can ask me for these things, okay? Guardian is more than just a title for me,"

Max nodded, finding himself at a loss for words.

"Now, how much was your total?" David asked, tilting his head to the side a bit.

"67," Max answered, still a little taken aback by the whole thing.

"Do you still want to buy it? I can get it if you want, kiddo," David knew it would hurt his pocket a bit, but it wasn't that much of a problem, he was happy to get it.

"I can get it myself," Max returned to his glaring huff of a tone; if David didn't know better, he would have said he was pouting.

David smiled and stood to walk them back to the self check. It was kind of sweet how Max regressed so easy when David reminded him if his guardianship. Anytime he mentioned it, suddenly the curses slid away and Max was shuffling his feet and mumbling. It at least helped David gauge how upset he really was, and let him know if he was getting through to him. That's all he needed really, is to make sure Max was really hearing him.

They got back to the check out where Max had started his scans, and the boy looked at the attendant there. He was sitting with his face in his phone, almost hiding from the boy's look. Max sneered his way anyways, still bitter about being suspected of theft. David took the machine beside Max's, scanning his own items and letting the camper do whatever he needed to. Max was hesitant at first, but once again tugged the pile out of his jacket and counted out 67, plus a dollar for the change.

Both shopping trips handled, David told Max to go change and he would bring the car around for him. Max took his sweatpants and walked off to the bathroom. A quick change of clothes and they were both back in the car.

"I still don't get why I had to wear sweatpants," Max grumbled, although the bite wasn't there to back it up.

"It's just for fun, kiddo!" David hummed,"It's early, you can stay in pjs and relax!"

"Sure," Max dismissed it,"Is waffle house even any good?"

David shrugged,"I… wouldn't give it 5 stars for healthy food, but it's good comfort food for breakfast,"

"Whatever you say,"

Max was really just hungry at this point, and food was food. Is was another ten minute drive to the place, but Max was mostly asleep through a generous chunk of it. They toughed through the wind for the fourth time that night and entered the warmth of the grease smelling restaurant. It was well lit compared to outside, but not as obnoxiously bright as the Meijers they entered. It was basically empty except for two other people, in tables on opposite sides of the shop. David led them both to a booth near the window.

David offered the laminated menu to Max after sitting down, and began looking through it.

"I think chocolate chip waffles sounds very good,"David hummed, scanning over things.

Max made a face,"You couldn't pay me,"

With a raised eyebrow, David dropped the menu and questioned him,"What do you mean?"

"I can't eat sugary bullshit in the morning," Max stuck out his tongue

"I don't usually, but I don't mind it when I do," David hummed, then set down his menu, foot tapping,"So...Max…"

Max narrowed his eyes at the menu, suspicious of that tone, and dropped his menu to glare at him,"What."

He waved a hand,"Nothing too big, just curious… how are you feeling about going back to school?"

The kid rolled his eyes,"Oh fuck that," his menu rose in front of his face again.

David frowned,"Aw, come on! It can be fun! New school, lots of fun to be had!"

"New school means I'm the freak that just decided to walk into the neighbourhood," he griped, his mood quickly beginning to sour.

"Max, you do need to go," David frowned.

"I don't _have_ to do anything," Max snapped,"Except pay taxes and die,"

Again, another frown from David, accompanied by a disapproving huff,"Why don't you want to go to school, Max?"

"It's fucking-!"

"Whoa there hunny," a buttery smooth voice chuckled beside the both of them, it was a generously curvy black woman, a pad of paper in one hand and a pen behind her ear,"There's no need to be shoutin' like that to your daddy," she shook her head with a smile,"What can I get you boys?"

Max scowled darker than satan himself, mumbling nasty phrases angrily while his face burned hotly at the term.

"Oh!" David folded his menu,"Can I get two chocolate chip waffles and some hash browns, please?"

The woman tugged the pen free from her ear,"Sure you can! And what about this little fiesty bundle 'a joy?"

Max, once again, scowled,"I'll show you a bundle of something," he hissed quietly, catching a look from David,"Eggs, bacon, hash browns. With oj,"

The woman made a sound at the lack of his manners, and strolled back to the kitchen. David turned his gaze back to Max.

"So, why didn't you want to go to class?"

Max groaned,"Can I just have two fuckin minutes without the third degree?" He snapped, angry,"Everytime we sit down you have shit to say,"

David raised his hands in surrender,"Alright! Point taken," he laced his hands in his lap, pursing his lips.

And quiet layered over them like a blanket. Max was determined not the be bothered by it, and pulled his phone out to mess around on whatever app he decided to fuck with that day. David kept quiet like he said, and looked out the window without a word. Over the trees, the sun just barely began to make its debut over the sky, leaving a slightly lighter blue near the area. David studied the colors forming, trying his best not to irritate his new ward on his first day. It was obviously a tense subject, but they would figure it out.

Max toyed on his phone for a little while before he got bored of it again, and shut it off. Then turned it on, scrolled, and shut it off. Finally, he groaned.

"It's just boring as fuck,"Max mumbled.

"Classes?" David replied, keeping his words short to let Max talk.

"Yeah. Like for fucks sake I get the shit their doing in two days and then they spend an extra week on it for the slow fuckers," he snipped, already annoyed at the thought- beside his hand, his phone vibrated.

"So you're understimulated?" David asked, tilting his head; he felt bad about it, but he had to admit he was a touch surprised that it wasn't the opposite problem.

Max lifted his phone to check the message,"Yeah something like that,"

 **Unknown: 5:34 am;** _hey, it's celine. Is this max?_

Max blinked twice; he didn't remember giving her his number? He had meant to, but he was just gonna text Chikae and get it to her that way. Everything happened fast, he got caught up in the mess. Then, another message.

 **Unknown: 5:35 am;** _it's the asscrack of dawn so I hope I didnt wake you up. Im just bored. If youre up text me back!_

Max grinned slightly, recalling himself saying the exact same phrase to David no more than an hour ago.

"Who is it?" David inquired, a soft smile on his face.

"Celine," Max answered plainly, saving her number to his phone.

 **Max: 5:36 am;** _Yeah it's Max. I've been up for an hour. Where the fuck did you find my number? I thought I'd have to ask Chikae for yours._

David hummed,"I don't think I've met her. She's not from camp, is she?"

Max shook his head,"No. From the home,"

David nodded, watching the boy's face curiously. His phone buzzed in his hands, and Max was typing a reply only seconds after. David smiled softly, and decided it best it leave him be.

Without too much wait their food arrived, hot and smelling very good. David coated his fluffy waffles in a light layer of butter and began pouring syrup over each little divot. Max took a piece of bacon and sent another message to Celine before digging in to his meal.

"I know you mentioned her," David cut the silence,"Didn't she have a home that she was going to?"

Max nodded, and spoke over a mouthful of food,"Yeah, she didn't know when though,"

David grimaced slightly at the muffled speech,"Maybe she knows now. It might be somewhere close,"

Max studied David's face for a minute, still chewing, before picking up his phone again.

So far the day was going good. He had the party to go to, David got his little outing. He bought himself new clothes. Everything seemed like it was going right again. Max glanced out the window, the sky splashed with pinks, blues, and a beautiful shade of orange. It was pretty cool to look at between the sparse clouds. He took another bite of bacon and slide his phone into his pocket. He wouldn't get a reply from Celine until later that week, but for now he had other things to worry about. First of which, was the rest of his breakfast, which was just as David described it would be.

 **Max: 5:47 am;** _Hey, did you figure out where you're gonna be squatting?_


	13. Tanrrum Trouble

Max shut and opened his hands, still feeling sticky residue from rolling oreo truffles into neat little balls. He felt his skin tug at each sticky particle of cream cheese and cookie crumb. The low, tumbling boil that the stove kept the water on filled the sound of the room and pushed away the bite of the cold quickly. David had a glass bowl resting on the lip of a pot, over said boiling water, where he was stirring melting chocolate. Max stepped down off the little red steppy David had dug out for him, and kicked it over to the sink. Up on it, he could reach into the sink and turn on the faucet to warm. Silky, lavender scented soap coated his palms, and he scrubbed away the sticky substance.

After getting home, Max decided to stay in sweats and climbed into the armchair to relax. It was still early, but fatigue had not hit him yet, so he played games on his phone and watched TV, getting the wifi from David so he could scroll through his notifications as well. They'd only gotten home at seven, which was still way too early for most people to be up. It was definitely new to be in such a quiet house.

Quiet was a threat in other homes. No music to counter his quick steps to the kitchen for food, no garbled shouting with friends and druggies in the livingroom to distract his parents from his trip to the bathroom. Quiet was dangerous. Max felt okay regardless, but he felt the instinct urge to turn on the TV for some noise balance against the deafening quiet. Background noise was comforting, and Max could focus on his phone.

When they went to the kitchen around 8 to start the snack, Max left the sound on and heard it drift through to the kitchen quietly. At least David was sort of chatty, which kept things from being stagnant and unsettling. However, his need for conversation would inevitably cause some trouble as always.

"I don't think I remembered to tell you," David began,"But Jen told me something while we were outside yesterday, I think we should talk about it,"

Max, meanwhile, stood on his steppy and turned to look at him over his shoulder,"I can't talk about it if I don't know what it is,"

David chuckled, "Right! Well, she mentioned that your last name could be changed anytime," he hummed,"But they need a definitive answer by Friday,"

Max turned again to look down at the sink,"I thought I just got stuck with your name?"

"That's an option," he explained,"But you don't have to. You could keep it as Mora like she said, or some other name you like!"

Max, sinking deep in thought with wondering about a name, made only a soft grunt in reply, drying off his hands on a paper towel.

"Did Nikki reply back?" David asked, hoping a change in topic would pull more conversation from him.

"She said the party was at 3," Max answered,"These are gonna be ready by then right?"

David nodded, lifting a towel to his forehead where he'd begun to perspire from the steam off the chocolate,"Absolutely! Once I get this melted, we just have to dip the little truffles in the chocolate and cool them!" David replied in a sing song hum,"Can you put those truffles in the fridge for me Max?"

Max nodded and pulled the big plate off the counter. In his pocket, his phone buzzed, but he ignored it for the moment as his steps paused as he neared the door of the fridge. The plate was big, he couldn't hold it with one hand. He stared at the fridge for a minute, then at the plate, then crouched to set them down on the floor to open the fridge door. David turned as he moved and gasped.

"Max! No no Max no!" He squealed, hurried to stop him from getting the plate contaminated; he took it from his hands,"We can't put food on the floor buddy!"

David lifted the plate in his hand and opened the fridge to set it on a shelf, meanwhile Max quered,"What does it matter? It's on a plate."

"People's shoes walk all over the kitchen, silly," David hummed,"Bare feet, too- there's germs on it. Go on and get the other plate, I'll help you,"

Max shrugged,"It's been ten years and I'm not dead yet,"

David's brow furrowed a bit, once again unhappy with Max's untaught and unsupervised past . He took the second plate from the little camper and stuck it beside the first in the fridge. Max kicked his step stool over to the counter again and leaned back on the cabinet, looking around the kitchen for something to mess with.

David returned to his melting bowl of chocolate, stirring the small chunks inside of it,"You can go watch TV if you like while I get some more chocolate melted," he suggested, seeing the mischievous boredom on the boy's face.

Max shrugged again and strolled out to the living room. He hopped up into the armchair; David was beginning to suspect that it was his favorite in the house. The chair popped up a foot rest with a solid thunk, but max remained curled into the side of it, switching the TV volume up and relaxing into the leathery cushion. David hummed a song to himself as we waited for the chocolate to melt.

After spending nearly an hour dipping the little chocolate truffles into the melty coating and returning them to the fridge, David fixed them both a light lunch, complete with a cookie and truffle for both of them. David caught up on his laundry while Max watched TV, both losing track of time. Around 3:30, David hurriedly ushered Max upstairs to get dressed after being informed that the party would start at 4 that afternoon, and in the meantime he gathered up a toothbrush and some paste for the boy out of the closet. He transferred the sweets into a pretty ceramic container and left them on the counter, anxious about when his next trip to the store might be, considering his fridge was borderline barren. He puffed a sigh and went on with getting Max ready anyways.

"If you feel sick from sweets drink some water," David listlessly went on and on as they ate,"And call me if you wanna come home okay? I'll be there as soon as you ask!" He promised, a bright smile on his face.

Max lifted his face to glower at the man, who withered beneath such a stare,"Well, I'll be there as soon as I can," he admitted softly.

Content with more reasonable standards, Max returned to his shoes, tying them up. After he was finished, he leaned back against his armchair and lulled his head to the right to watch the tv. He found he had some anxiety bubbling about seeing his friends. In just two short weeks, his whole world has changed drastically.

Not only was he no longer a camper, he wasn't even a normal kid at camp. If he went back- and he was almost positive David would get him back to camp- he was suddenly the counselor's son. That rep changed everything about the dynamic. Even if Max himself hadn't changed, the things people thought or said about him would change. He hated the idea of having that attention on him. Maybe he just wouldn't tell anyone at camp- yeah! That's what he'd do. If no one knew, no one could talk behind his back. But Neil and Nikki already knew. He frowned, why hadn't he thought this through?

He wasted most of the next twenty minutes wondering what they would say when they saw him. Twenty minutes after that, David had driven him to the party, and he got his answer.

" _Max!_ " Nikki screamed, rushing past people and tackling him on the grass,"Oh my god it's been forever! How are you? I can't believe David is really here!" She went on and on as Max picked himself up off the ground and scowled at David for chuckling behind him.

Max huffed and pulled the glass container from David's hands, opened it, and shoved a sweet into Nikki's mouth to shut her up. The look of surprise on her face was a nice change, and then she smiled broadly, giving him a thumbs up rather than spewing bits if chocolate while talking with a full mouth.

David knelt beside Max and touched his shoulder for a moment,"I'm gonna head out so I can get some shopping done, okay? But text me if you need me," he swore again, and Max rolled his eyes and stepped away, feeling incredibly crowded in front of a friend.

"Yeah I know, David," he grumbled, shifting the container in his arms.

Davey stood and smiled at Nikki,"And it was very nice to see you again, Nikki!"

Nikki, still chewing, nodded her head and waved as he walked back to the car. The engine turned quietly and David drove off down the street. Left alone for the first time after being adopted, Max was a little unsure. Nikki had other plans however, and snatched his arm to drag him inside the house. She had finally swallowed, and now started speaking at a more normal pace.

"Neil is in my room, we can hangout there and steal snacks," she grinned, and they walked part the party and down the hall, where a door was cracked open.

Inside was a mildly chaotic room, decorated with random nature strewn about. On Nikkis bed sat Neil, who was texting on his phone underneath a plush purple blanket. Max kicked a pinecone on the way in and watched it skitter across the wood floor audibly. If nothing else, Nikki at least had an affinity for nature and all of it's strange things.

Neil lifted his eyes from his phone and smiled,"Welcome to the camp outside of camp," he joked cheekily.

Max grinned in return,"It's great to see you guys,"

Nikki squealed and hugged Max upon hearing those words,"We missed you!" Neil climbed off the bed, and Nikki snatched him up in a hug too.

Max laughed while Neil squirmed trying to get away, until Nikki finally released the boys. Neil dusted himself off with a huff.

"So you're here," Neil stated,"Can I assume that means David finalized things?"

Max's mouth curled at the edges in a faint grimace, stepping forward into the room,"Yeah,"

He sat on the bed, each step rung in the suspiciously quiet room. When he finally looked up at them again, he was met with an expectant gaze from both of them.

Nikki put her hands on her hips and asked pointedly," _And_? How's it _been_ , dumby?"

Max rolled his eyes,"I mean, it's been! Things are fine, I guess," he shrugged.

"What happened?" Neil tugged a rolling chair free from the cluttered desk and sat down to check his phone and listen; Nikki threw herself down onto a beanbag and watched Max intently.

Max shrugged,"I mean… I just got home and they were gone. Apartment was empty, locked up for sale," he stuck his hands in his pockets and scowled at the bed, feeling a bit flustered.

"So how did David end up being your dad?"

Max felt his cheeks burn hotly at the mention of David's role,"He's not my dad, he's… he's like my roommate," he recalled Chikae's assessment from earlier on.

Neil raised an eyebrow and finally looked up from his phone,"They wouldn't let you stay with him if he wasn't legally your-"

Max huffed,"Yeah alright the papers say whatever they say but I know better," he snarked,"David just a pit stop on the way to the end of the road."

Nikki looked like she wanted to ask another question, but Neil cut her off, seeing that this was a touchy subject,"Well besides that, then. Is his house plastered with those motivational posters like we thought?"

Max laughed outright,"Yeah. He's got tissues in every room and a copy of The Notebook framed on the wall," he joked.

Neil laughed in reply, and the chatter went on about school, life, the camp. Anything they could think of to talk about, they talked about. Nikki showed him around the house, and they made a game out of avoiding the adults for the night, sneaking out to the kitchen and snatching snacks and running back to Nikki's room with their loot.

To be perfectly honest, it felt a little bit like they were back at camp. Except for the lack of mosquitos. And the overbearing heat. And dealing with the stupid camp activities. But yeah, otherwise just like camp Campbell.

Max was laying on the bed, waiting for his turn to roll for yahtzee, when he realized how nice the day had been. Outside of the Meijer trip, of course, everything went really well. He stared down at the dice as Nikki rolled them. A one, two, four, five, and six, dangerously close to a large straight. He tucked his arm under his head and turned onto his side to watch her roll a second and third time and give a little cheer when she finally rolled her one into a three, marking down a large straight. She handed the cup of dice to Max.

Max dumped the dice out of the little red cup and into his hand as soon as he was handed it. he cupped his hands together and began to shake them, pushing the edges of his palms together in a way that nearly muted the sound. He hadn't even noticed the problem until Neil and Nikki shared a look.

"Max why don't you use the cup?" Neil pointed to the little red item he'd discarded.

Max blinked a few times and followed his gesture, a little dazed.

"It's too loud," he supplied, although his voice had lost the carefree cheer from before, and now sounded hushed and meek.

He hadn't even thought about it. The words spilled from his mouth uninvited, unwillingly. It was just what he had to say. He could imagine the crashing rattle of the using the cup, and he compared it to the muted tapping between his hands. It wasn't like they weren't allowed to make noise so… So why?

It's too loud.

" _Max no don't use that,"_

 _Max stopped, stilling his hands reaching for the red cup. It stood out against the grim, black and grey world. A shiny bright red, almost a beacon to trouble for the two of them. Small hands recoiled from reaching for the item. He looked to his lap, where they held three black and white dice. Max swung his head up to the boy's face. He had scruffy, brown hair. His face was dark and blurred as if he was moving too fast for Max to tell. The boy blinked hard, staring at him, hoping for a glimpse._

" _It's too loud," the boy whispered._

 _He was busying his hands, and Max turned his eyes down to watch what he was doing. Between his fingers was a strip of tape, and the other two dice. He pulled the tape over the edges of the die carefully, giving the hard plastic edges padding, to make them more quiet._

 _He took Max's hands, cupping them together around the remaining dice and pressing down a bit. His voice was low and soft, almost comforting despite the whispered words that warned of a threat._

" _Keep your hands together, so they won't hear,"_

 _Max found himself nodding, eyes still locked on his blur of a face. He was looking down at Max's hands to make sure he was holding the dice right. The blur cleared some, and Max saw the faintest turn of a smeared smile._

" _Max."_

 _Max shook his head, hearing the voice from somewhere and pointedly ignoring it. He was looking up, moving his head back slowly._

" _Your roll, Max," he said softly,"Go ahead,"_

" _Max."_

 _The boy's face finally lifted. Max saw no features, except for his startling green eyes. They were a deep emerald shade, accented by long, thick lashes. A small spot of brown was settled in the left side of his iris. The gaze flickered, and then it was gone._

"Max!"

Max sucked in a sharp breath, blinking a few times. His eyes stung. His vision was blurry, so he squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them. Tears ran down his face.

"Dude what's wrong?" Neil asked, his brow pulled together.

"I…" Max squeezed the dice hard in his hand, until his skin groaned in protest of the pointed, bruising edges.

"Max…?"

Max dropped the dice onto the board and clamored off the bed, rushing out to the hallway. He heard Nikki and Neil call his name, but he didn't stop. The dice clattered loudly on the little board and, unbeknownst to Max, they all rolled over onto a decisive number. Every dice shone with one dot. Perfect Yahtzee.

Max rushed down the hallway, right past the open entryway to the party, and met the brisk, heinous chill of winter with stinging eyes and heavy breath. Green eyes, green eyes and brown hair. Still, no name. Max's rapidly blinking eyes stared out into the dark neighbourhood. Houses were unlit, the stale yellow shine of the street lamps shadowing empty porches. Rain drizzled down from the dark clouds, ending up caught in Max's freshly cut hair. His face burned hot, but the tears rolling down his blushing cheeks were cruelly frigid.

Why? Why today, why _now?_ These memories had been forgotten for so long, left in the dark where he decided to shove them. Couldn't they just stay there? Could he push them back into the little lock box for another day? Or maybe even forever, if he was able. If he could do such a thing, he didn't know how. It was _him_ , it was his life. He should be allowed to control it, to shut it off. He shouldn't have to have this fear in his chest and the hot, boiling rage that sunk in his heart remembering the feeling of being so overwhelmingly _lost_ because… because a boy that he can't remember, left him alone in a house he hated, to be abused by a woman whose face haunts his worst nightmares.

He lifted his hands to his hair and grabbed a fistful on each side, gritting his teeth violently. He grunted, scratching his scalp in a harsh, uncomforting tic. Sinking to his knees, hands still on his head, his tears rolled off of his chin and onto the porch. Those stupid, stupid eyes. He didn't need his eyes, or his voice, or his stupid hair, he needed a _name_. Some name, what was it? What _was it?_

The door knob twisted then, and Max scrambled off the porch and down into the little crevice next to the stairs leading down to the sidewalk.

"Max?" Nikki's voice called out, and Max shut his eyes tightly.

There was a pause, then the door shut again. Max sighed shakily, covering his face with his hands as his face crumpled into tears again. He lowered his head, his fingers running through his curls. He took a shuddering, tearful breath, and slowly moved the tips of his fingers. He felt dampness, probably from a scratch he'd made when he yanked and scrubbed at his hair moments ago. He continued, gently brushing his small digits over the curly, sore strands. He shut his eyes with another breath. For a moment, just a split second, he recalled David's equally gentle touch.

He slowed his breath, sucking in the cold air in a hiccuping gulp to try and stop the upheaval of something he couldn't control. Two people in his life drew up this much emotion in such a short period. Only two. One was David, and one was this unknown boy. And god _damnit_ he deserved to know the kid who made him want to scream and cry until his throat was raw. He huffed angrily, and sniffled, but for the most part his crying had ceased. He lowered his hands and stared out into the late evening moonlight. It was 8 now, the party was almost over anyways.

Max pulled in a slow breath and glanced back up at the door cautiously. David's dish was still inside, on the counter with the rest of the food. He needed to get it back before he went home, but he didn't want to see any of the party goers in the process. He'd have to sneak it out of the kitchen if he wanted to stay unseen. He stood up out of the little mud bank and walked to the side of the house, remembering a set of windows just above the counter tops. Lucky for him, there was also a little hose box underneath one of said windows. Plan in mind, he flexed his fingers to keep them warm and began his climb.

Once he was on top of the hose box, he knelt and balanced himself with his fingertips. Slowly, he rose onto his feet, bracing against the side of the house. He had to crouch to stay out of view of the window, but it would be easy to reach inside now. He lifted the lip of the window pane slowly, carefully not alerting any of the party goers to his presence. After brushing aside the curtain gingerly, he peered inside. Within perfect reach for him, was David's container of sweets. He reached into the window slowly, watching the opposite room with uncertainty.

Just as his fingers brushed the handles of the container, his phone began to sing out from his pocket. He gasped and snatched his hands away from the window. Digging hurriedly into his pocket for his phone to shut it off, the sleek little item slipped out of his hands and into the grass below. Max cursed and shoved his hands back through the window to grab the container. Shifting it into one hand and balancing it against his hip, he slammed the window shut, hopped off the hose box, snatched his phone from the ground and bolted.

The neighbourhood was like a maze, especially in the dark, but it wasn't hard to just follow the sidewalk to each corner street. Hood lifted over his ears, Max trudged on down the road, hoping to get to an entrance somewhere so David could pick him up. He hadn't called him yet for that reason, rather wanting to make it easy to find him so David wouldn't be too mad. Well, that's to say that David would get mad in the first place. To tell the truth, Max had no idea what David would do, and that was the scary part. Even if he wasn't mad, Max didn't know how to respond to anything but anger when he'd done something… _bad_. Not that this was bad, per say, but it didn't feel good to him. What would David see it as? Max scowled and kicked at some of the puddles, lifting the lid of the container for the sixth time since he'd left and popping a little sweet into his mouth. Considering he hadn't called David, he paid only partial mind to the sound of an approaching car. He did pay attention, however, when that car came to a screeching halt beside him.

Instinctively Max turned to run away, not wishing to be caught up with some kidnapper or druggy, but the door opened and David appeared. Max froze, both stunned and confused.

"Oh, Max," he gasped, running over to the small form,"Thank god," he breathed.

David crouched in front of him, almost instantly soaking the knees on his pants, and enveloped him in a tight, clinging hug. Max winced at the pressure, wiggling in his arms a bit until he backed off. The boy stared at him, and lifted the container towards his chest. Confused, David shook his head.

"The truffle… no, Max, I don't care about the silly container," he tugged it free from the boy's hands and set it down, a frown set deep on his face,"I care about _you_ , kiddo! I was worried sick, do you know that?"

Max felt something sharp begin to prickle in his stomach, and he found his eyes began to flicker between David's gaze and the ground. A heated shame burned his cheeks, and his eyes no longer lifted to meet the stern eyes of his guardian.

"It's dark outside, Max! You were out, alone, god knows where you were going," David crossed his arms, though he didn't look very intimidating to the boy considering he was still knelt on the pavement,"You don't do that! You absolutely do _not_ , young man!"

Max winced at the title, and for the second time that night his eyes had started to sting. His brow furrowed, confused, while he tried to blink away the burn. David wasn't being mean, or hitting him. He had actually _hugged_ him. It was nothing like Max usually knew. He felt small, and upset. He hated what David was saying, and _how_ he was saying it, but he didn't hate David himself.

"I told you to call me, didn't I?" David continued, but Max gave no reply,"I told you that you could call me whenever, I would come pick you up. Isn't that right, Max? Answer me,"

Max grit his teeth together, and nodded his head. The jerky motion made his curls bounce, and then he was still again.

"So why did you have to run off? You could have waited for me? You're lucky I found you, mister! You weren't answering your phone!"

Max recalled the loud ringing of his phone and assumed that it had been David trying to call him. He was sure to find plenty of texts that went unanswered.

"Are you going to say anything at all?" David sighed, watching his small form remain almost as still as stone, and shook his own head when he received no reply,"Alright. Get in the car, we can talk about this when we get home,"

Max finally lifted his gaze eyes flashing uncertainly. David's frown no longer looked as stern as it did sad.

"You remember my promise, don't you? Everything will be okay,"

Max swallowed hard, watching his expression,"...Never?" He recalled from yesterday, voice small.

"Never," David echoed, a solemn promise,"Never, ever that. But that doesn't mean you're out of trouble,"

Max's fears were sated then, but worry still gnawed in his belly. David stood up, lifting the container with him. He touched the back of Max's shoulder and nudged him towards the car. Max got the hint and shifted his hood further up before walking to the car and climbing in the back seat. David shut the door behind him.

Max gazed at the floor mats, the sting in his eyes having gone. He didn't know what was bothering him so much lately, why he was so damn emotional. Wetting his lips, he gave a small squirm as he shifted in his seat, glancing up wishfully at the passenger seat. David had let him ride up front on the way there… maybe he was too mad to let him sit up front. He gave a rueful kick of his feet, scowling darkly at the seat instead and deciding he very much didn't care about where he sat, it was just a stupid car.

"Buckle, Max," David said from the front seat, looking back at him from the rearview mirror.

Adding another drop of anger to his, scowl, Max huffed his displeasure and dragged the seatbelt from his side down over his chest. He crossed his arms over his chest, nails digging into the soft blue fabric.

He still had the feeling in his stomach, telling him without a doubt that what he'd done was wrong, but he didn't _feel_ like it was wrong. He was just walking. He was going to call David eventually. The whole thing was just blown out of proportion, from his point of view. That smug bastard just loved to be all high and mighty, like his word was the final say. He was king of the fucking world, wasn't he? Selfish, self serving _prick_. How _dare_ he make his stomach flip like this? There was no fear of a beating, so why couldn't he sit still? And stop fucking thinking about it? That hug did him in for sure. It knocked him off guard. He was expecting yelling or gnashed-tooth anger, if anything. But his dumb voice made him… _ugh!_

Max squirmed in his seat again, watching Nikki's neighbourhood disappear behind them. Every part of him was jittery and unsettled. The seat belt restricted him while he moved, and he felt even angrier. He grabbed it and yanked, but it locked in place, leaving him even less room to move. Stupid, _stupid-_ Max snarled hatefully.

That's what this whole thing was wasn't it? He could leave whenever he wanted before, as long as he didn't wake anyone up when he came back. Go wherever, do whatever. He mostly went to find food when he did leave, but that's beside the point. He had freedom. He ended most nights with bruises and bloody noses, but he could at least do what he wanted. Now, David was always _there_. He fell in that stupid mud pit, and David was right there to handle it. If it wasn't David, it was that stupid kid ruining his day. Any time he relaxed, _boom_. Every trip to bed, every nap, that _stupid_ kid!

Then there were the damn questions. Why this, why that; Max wanted to scream; _Why_ the fuck do you _care_? It was so aggravating, having to explain his existence to that glorified fire lighter. It shouldn't be necessary to explain it to anyone, let alone that strawberry-haired nuisance! Another yank on the seatbelt, harder this time. He wanted it off _now_.

Eventually the rattling _shunk_ of the belt reached David's ears, whom then frowned and glanced in the rear view again to see Max pulling at the seatbelt, face screwed up in anger.

"Max! Stop yanking- what are you doing?" He chided, turning his attention back to the road.

"I used to be able to leave whenever!" he snapped, voice strained as he pushed at the seatbelt,"I- I could do _whatever_ ," he grunted and jammed his thumb into the seat belt button, but it didn't budge,"Now I'm _stuck_!"

"Max Mora you stop that right now!"

Max swung his feet and slammed them against the back of David's seat," _That's not my name_!" He screamed,"That's not _me!"_

David gasped as his chair jolted violently, gripping the wheel hard. Max had a temper sure, but he'd never gone off the rails like this. Especially not so suddenly. He glanced back, seeing Max shouting in frustration, pulling his legs back and gearing up to ram them against his seat again. He was still yanking at the seat belt and trying to break free from the apparently damaged clip. Davey hurried to pull off the side of the road, all the while listening to Max scream and kick the back of his seat. He shut the car off and pushed open his door, a grim frown on his face.

Max was too caught up in yelling about his name and his life before that he didn't notice they had stopped, and only paused his tirade when he saw the door swing open. His stomach seized in fear upon seeing David's face, but his anger won over. He twisted in his seat and turned to poise his feet up in the air, a haughty scowl on his face.

David rolled his eyes and grabbed his ankle, pushing it down across his other leg, while his free hand reached across to unclip his seat belt. Max scoot forward to rush out of the car, but David grabbed his arm before he could move far, tugging him out into the wet grass.

"Why are you yelling?" David asked calmly, kneeling to his height and holding both of the boy's hands to keep from being scratched.

Max scowled behind his blush, trying hard to pull his hands free. He refused to answer, digging his feet into the grass and shoving himself back. Even so, David held on.

"Tell me why you're yelling, Max," David repeated himself, once again his voice level.

Max grunted angrily,"No!" He shouted, digging his heels in and pulling with all his might at David's hold.

David sighed and pulled back in return, making Max stumble into his arms. Quickly, he wrapped a secure arm around his waist, keeping Max pressed flush against him. Then, he began searching the boy's pockets.

Max was very predictably unhappy with this, digging against his shoulder and shoving with all his might; apparently it wasn't enough to win.

"What are you doing?" He demanded angrily.

David gave no reply, and found what he was looking for within a few moments; Max's phone. Tugging it free from his jeans, David hastily pushed it into his own pocket and held onto the boy's arms again. He stood, guiding Max back to the car.

"It's fine if you don't want to talk," David said, a little strained as he tried to tug Max along,"But you're not going to be this riled up in the car,"

Max struggling harshly, aggressively yanking over and over to free himself," _Help! I'm being kidnapped! Help me!_ " He screamed, part of him knowing no one would hear it and part of him wondering what might happen if it _was_ heard by someone.

David huffed, a touch annoyed by such childish attempts at running, struggling to walk while Max kicked and threw his weight around to try and get away. The only reason his resolve was so strong is because he knew if Max got away, he'd run to the trees and, when it was this dark, David wasn't sure he'd find him again unless he _wanted_ to be found. _If_ he wanted to be found. So he sucked in a breath, passed Max's wrist to his other hand, and hefted the boy up off of his feet.

Max kicked the air and narrowly missed a decent crack against David's knee. Davey swung his empty arm underneath Max's legs and pushed him into the open car door. Max huffed a breath and scrambled to get up, but not before David shut the door and locked it from the outside, pressing the car key button. The locks clicked shut and flattened, so Max couldn't pry them up. He slammed his hands against the door and gave a bitter, frustrated cry and scowled at David through the window.

"Let me out!" Max barked, hitting the door again.

David shook his head,"No sir I will not," He said decidedly,"I don't know why you're being so hateful but I think a timeout would do you good to calm down!"

Max's face burned, as did his anger. He slammed his hand against the door violently,"A _what?"_

Crossing his arms, David nodded,"You heard me, Max!"

David watched the boy's rage boil underneath the surface. He was not a happy camper, to say the least. But, regardless, David needed to stick to his guns on this. The boy had been horrible on the drive, and he was in no condition to deal with him while trying to drive on a slick road at night. Calming him down was the safest bet, and this was the only thing the counsellor could think of. To be perfectly honest, after that meltdown, a timeout seemed perfectly fitting for that sort of temper tantrum.

Max, of course, did not agree. Banging on the doors, incoherent yelling, cursing. David tuned as much of it as he could out, but remained firm on his decision. Max slammed his hand against the door once again and then his eyes flicked to the right, up to the drivers side. David followed his gaze, and promptly remembered the control panel on the door. He hurried forward just as Max clamored over the console to hit the unlock button. David pressed his back up against the door, and heard the thunk of the lock shifting not a moment later. Max started yelling again, and David hit the button to relock the doors. Max tried again to shove his way out, to no avail. David squeezed his eyes shut, biting his lip and trying helplessly not to just give in and let him scream.

 _He has to learn,_ Davey reminded himself, _at some point this needs to not happen. He needs to learn that now_. David took a steadying breath and clenched his fists.

" _Max!"_ He bellowed loudly, catching the boy's attention,"I have a jacket, both of our phones, and all night long to wait for you to stop throwing a tantrum! But you _will_ sit down, _quietly,_ for fifteen minutes before I even consider letting you out of this car!"

There. His terms were clear. Max knew what he was capable of, and what he could withstand. Now all he had to do was wait for that crazy boy to sit down and do as he was told.

Coincidentally, that wouldn't be for another three escape attempts, a final one-sided screaming match, and one last bang against the car door. David listened after that final thud and heard nothing, so he pulled up a timer and set it for fifteen minutes. David sighed, relieved that they had at least gotten somewhere. He scrolled on his phone and answered a few texts, hoping to busy himself and make the time pass faster.

Around minute 9, there was movement in the car again, so David turned to look. Max had climbed back out of the driver's seat and into his own, and laid down on the back seat. David frowned and knocked his phone against the window.

"No, Max. Sit up," He chided, knowing if he laid down he would try to sleep.

Max scowled and lifted a hand, one finger raised. David narrowed his eyes.

"Fine," he called,"You just added five minutes to your time,"Max's mouth gaped open at that, looking to argue, but David shook his head,"Pitch another fit with me and I'll restart your time to minute one,"

Max scowled angrily, obviously debating with himself. With an air of great reluctance, he sat up, arms crossed over his chest. David resisted a pleased smile, knowing Max would see it as being made fun of. David returned to his phone and added the five promised minutes, sighing when he realized they still had 11 minutes to go. Lucky for him, those 11 minutes went almost perfectly. Almost.

David glanced back around the two minute mark and his heart broke in two at the sight of him. The boy had drawn his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, staring at the floor forlornly. The window blurred his vision a bit, but David swore he saw a shiny trail on his cheeks.

He was almost, _almost_ , swayed to open the door and pull him into a big bear hug, but he resisted carefully. That could come after, if Max would let him. He huffed a quiet, resilient breath and remained where he was.

"Two minutes kiddo," he called,"Almost done,"

Max glanced up when he spoke, then dropped his eyes again. Upon thinking twice, he lowered his head and buried it into his arms. David frowned, wishing he could fix that look so badly it hurt. He tapped his foot and turned away, trying to distract himself from his instinctive want to comfort the poor kid. The final two minutes took what felt like ages, but eventually his timer rang.

He unlocked the door and edged over to Max's spot. Hearing the lock click, he drew in on himself further. David frowned, pulling open the door gently.

"Max?" He said softly, and received no reply,"Alright, well… if you don't want to talk, it can wait til we get home,"

Max bunched his sleeves up in his hands, pushing his head further down.

David bit his lip,"I'm proud of you kiddo, I know it was hard to do that…" he waited again, but got nothing,"Do you wanna sit up in the passenger seat?"

Max shook his head.

"Do you want a hug?"

A hasty jerk of his head; _no._

David was grasping at straws now, just trying to get him to say something. What else was there? Max wasn't the cuddly type, and he hated crying, especially in front of people. Probably mortified, he wouldn't want to admit to wanting any sort of comfort. The poor thing looked so small, David was trying his best not to feel guilty for forcing him to sit alone so long. He watched the boy shuffle in his seat, and had another idea.

"Can I have a hug, then?"

Max lifted his head enough to scowl at David. He sniffled and dropped it again, rubbing his face against his sleeves. David just stayed still, observing silently. Max pushed his feet off the seat and moved forward. Hurriedly, David opened his arms and pulled him close. Max obliged, timidly putting his hands on either side of David's jacket. Surprised his thought had worked, Davey wasted no time in taking all the cuddling Max would give him.

"Thank you, Max," he said softly.

"Whatever," a raspy, tearful voice answered.

"Are you sure you don't want to sit up front?" David asked.

This time there was quiet, and once again Max shifted before mumbling,"Fine,"

Smiling and starting to move back, David felt Max's small hands grip at his jacket again. He stilled, remaining where he was. Pulling his lip between his teeth again, David spoke cautiously.

"You know it's okay to want a hug, right Max?" He said,"It doesn't bother me a bit,"

A quiet pause ensued, and Max's hands pulled back. Maybe too soon, David reminded himself that this was a process after all. There were quite a few big steps so far, but there was only so much give. He stepped back, letting Max take the extra room to slide out of the car and onto the grass. He lifted his hood up over his head and trudged around the back of the car to get to the passenger door.

David gave a solemn sigh, shut the door, and climbed into the driver side. Max had the container and his phone in his hands, and David patted his pocket, blinking in surprise. He supposed he should scold the boy for being sneaky, but just once he let it go. Tonight had had enough trouble already, there was no need for more.

Back on the road, the drive was silent. Anxious to get home, David still found himself dreading it. If there was another bout of trouble like that, he really didn't have a way of handling it. The car doors locked, Max had no option but to stay where he was. At home? The stair steps were hardly escape proof. David worried his lip again, thinking hard about a plan.

Max stayed quiet, not on his phone but he pointedly held it in his hands the whole time. Face still burning hotly with shame, he cursed himself for what happened. Everything was fine at the party, then his face popped up. Everything was _fine_ until David told him to buckle and the belt got stuck. He tightened his grip on the container. Why was he even mad? Max Mora… that _was_ his name. _His_ name! Why argue?

Out of the corner of his eye, he cast a wary gaze at David. The man's eyes were focused on the road, but his expression was creased with worry and thought. Maybe just to get a rise out of him, Max wanted to argue with every word out of his mouth. He wanted to see him mad, or fight him, or something. Not sure on the answer, Max looked back down at the container.

He, of course, wanted to argue and bicker with David until he was blue in the face to tell him he did _not_ throw a tantrum, but he knew on some level that he had, in fact, acted like a three year old. He closed his eyes, grimacing at the recollection of events that led to being locked in the car. A shift in his seat, and turned his head to the side, watching out the window. Now David was mad, and he just wanted to sleep. Great way to end the night. Max glared at his reflection in the window. Just another thing he'd gone and ruined.

Finally, David pulled into the little drive in front of the house, and the hum of the car died off. Max had hoped to stay back a little bit, bide his time before dealing with David. Apparently, David had the same plan. Realizing they both hadn't moved, David looked down at Max, only to see an even gaze being returned. Max eventually rolled his eyes, turning his head away and climbing out of the car. Heaving a slow sigh, David pulled his keys free of the ignition and followed suit.

After approaching the porch and unlocking the door, Max pushed his way inside. Shoes haphazardly dropped beside the door, he went to the kitchen to set the container down on the counter. Immediately, he turned around and headed for the stairs.

"Ah, Max! We're not done yet," he called after him.

Max huffed,"We are,"

David crossed his arms," _No,_ we're not. Max, if your butt isn't on the couch in ten seconds, I'll…" David, regretfully, found himself blanking on the end to his threat.

Having glanced back, Max only raised an eyebrow and continued up the stairs.

Scrambling, David blurted,"I'll shut the wifi off!" He called,"And consider the cord to the TV gone!"

He had hoped that would make the boy stop, but it was useless. It was probably a mix of the fact that he didn't think David would do it, and the fact that he didn't really care if he did. Flustered, David huffed and called after him.

"Fine! Go to your room and wait for me!"

He heard Max scoff before he slammed the door, and David felt very close to pulling his hair out. _How_ was he this difficult on day _two?_ Davey groaned softly and sank onto the sofa, pulling out his phone. He needed help.

" _Davey?_ "

"Gwen," David huffed, turning on the side of the couch and drawing up his knees,"I'm stuck,"

" _David if you got your ass stuck in a ditch again I'm not coming to -"_

David chuckled weakly,"No! No I'm at home I'm fine, I meant it metaphorically,"

" _Oh, right. What's up?"_

So David recounted everything he knew from his night so far,"... And I guess I panicked and locked him in the car as a timeout,"

" _You put that little shit into timeout?"_

David groaned," _Yes_! Was that- was it _wrong?_ He was kicking my seat and screaming and swearing- it was the _definition_ of a temper tantrum!"

Gwen laughed on the other end," _Ha! Wow. Well you know what I would have done Davey- spare the rod-"_

David scowled _,"Spoil the child_ , I _know_. I'm not going to spank him, you know how I feel about that," his tone held an air of finality.

" _Okay, I know. I mean you did what you could with the car thing. To be honest it was pretty resourceful."_

A little chunk of the weight on David's shoulder chipped off at those words,"I'm glad someone thinks so. He certainly wasn't happy,"

" _Well it's not a good punishment if he likes it, David_ ," she snarked," _That's kinda the point. What happened when you guys got home?"_

"He went upstairs. I tried to keep him down here so we could talk but he went anyways," he sighed,"I threatened to take away the wifi and the TV, he didn't listen,"

" _Considering where he's been before this, I'm sure he's lived with a lot less."_

"I know!" David shouted, frustrated; he closed his eyes and gave a shuddery sigh, rubbing his face,"I know, I just… I don't know what to do with him and it's only the second day, Gwen. Day _two_. How am I so bad at this? I _love_ kids,"

" _Just because you love them doesn't mean they respect you,"_

David frowned and opened his eyes, looking at the couch cushion,"...How do you mean?"

" _Jesus, David, think about camp!_ " Gwen sighed," _They walked all over you, all the time. Max did what he wanted, when he wanted, and didn't give a fuck what you thought. Or at least he didn't show you that he gave a fuck. Now he's in your house, and he expects the same dynamic. That can't happen."_

David wilted,"It would be anarchy,"

" _Damn right it would be,"_ Gwen snapped," _Who the fuck is in charge here David?_ "

David sighed softly,"I am, Gwen."

" _Not with that attitude you're not. Who. Is. In. Charge?"_

David smiled a bit,"I am," his voice was a bit stronger.

" _I don't believe you!"_

"I'm in charge!" David returned, determined,"This is my house!"

" _Damn straight! Now go tell him that you dork."_

David laughed, feeling a little bit more at ease,"I will. Thank you, Gwendolyn,"

" _Quit callin me that!"_ she huffed," _Call me later,"_

David hummed,"I will!"

He hung up, and the quiet if the house opened up again as a grim reminder of what he now needed to talk to Max about. He puffed a breath past pursed lips.

"I'm in charge," he murmured, climbing off the couch.


	14. Repercussions

Max glanced up at the door when he heard heavy steps on the stairs. He had about five seconds til David barged into the room to yell about whatever he was gonna yell about. The first second was him considering how David might enter the room. Maybe yelling, maybe calmly. Based off of his footsteps, the safer bet was definitely yelling, even if he wasn't angry. And in consideration of second number one, second two through five were spent tumbling off of his bed and crawling underneath it. Because hey, if he was gonna be in trouble anyways, why couldn't he delay the inevitable?

And low and behold, David opened the door, stern and determined to get his point across to the boy, but was met with an empty bed. He stammered a moment, glancing behind him as if Max could have run right under him. He frowned, taking in a sharp breath through his nose.

"Max I know you're in here," He sighed, tapping his foot,"Come out and talk to me,"

Max rolled his eyes, silent and waiting.

David sighed,"Max, come on, this is…"

 _Childish_ , Max knew what he was going to finish with. David knew it too. He'd known since he opened his mouth but, it wasn't what he wanted to say. It was true, yeah it was childish. It was hide and seek and running from a scolding, but it was something else. Max knew what he was doing, he knew running off would just annoy him. Regardless, he did it anyway. Why? Why not just suck it up and get it over with? David glanced around the practically barren room.

Max was so much younger than he acted, none of this day matched. Max was mature and snarky, not so demeaningly childish and small. He hated to cry, he loved pissing David off. David's breath was a bit more laboured, wondering to himself if this whole thing was just some new tactic to irritate him. Why- _why_ did he insist on making him so mad! Max could just be nice and calm and talk to him. He could just be a normal kid!

And then David felt it click in his mind. In reality, Max _was_ a normal kid. Just a normal little ten year old. A ten year old who, for his entire life, had probably not had anything for himself. Who hadn't been touched kindly or without evil intention. Who had been smacked, beaten, and belittled since he could speak. Normal kids his age wouldn't throw a tantrum like that, especially unprovoked the way Max was. They would know better than to put food on the floor, and would probably be much more adverse to being bathed. But that, again, was a _normal_ circumstance. Max may appear to be normal, and yet he was anything but.

It's just what any kid would do. That's all it was. Davey narrowed his eyes, looking for potential hiding holes. Max was in a new place and, despite what David said, had no idea what to expect. Actions speak louder than words, afterall. David could swear up and down he had no intention to do something but Max couldn't know for sure. And just like everything unknown, that was scary. So whatever his in mind, that's just what this was. Hiding from what he didn't know. David tapped a finger against his lip, tilting his head at the wrinkled bed spread.

"Alright," he said, slowly rolling the word over his tongue,"You wanna hide? I'll seek,"

No, hide and seek was not very much a punishment, nor was it any good at talking with Max, but it was a break from the madness. If Max wanted to act whatever age he was, David could go with it. So, the counsellor made a show of lifting his feet off the ground slow, and stepping softly.

Max narrowed his eyes at the creeping socks, wiggling silently to the opposite side of the bed to keep out of David's sight.

"I mean, I don't think you could fit in a drawer but…" David yanked the bottom drawer open on the dresser,"It would be pretty impressive!"

Max pushed his lips together watching him tug the other drawer open. David hummed aloud, feet moving once more.

"Well… if you didn't miraculously fit in the drawers, maybe you could be over here…" He jumped across to the closet and pulled the doors open,"Still no? Huh… I wonder…"

David wandered back to the head of the bed, and plopped down on it. He pulled his feet up, slowly leaning over the other edge.

He sighed dramatically,"Oh where, oh where could he be…" he leaned over fully and grabbed Max's pant leg, pulling him out from under the bed quickly.

Max gasped sharply as he was tugged backwards, heart thumping in his chest. He felt hands grasp his ankles and flip him over, and Max stared up at a grinning David.

"I knew it. First try even!"

Max sat up,"It was not! You checked the drawer first, fucker!"

David decided the curse could slide without a scolding word only because of the smirk on Max's face.

"Alright alright… but you still lose," David reminded cheekily, and leaned forward further, tucking his fingers into Max's sides. Max gasped and started kicking and squirming, a loud laugh erupting from deep in his chest. He groped at David's hands, trying to push him off.

"Stop! Stop it, fuck _off- hah!"_ Eventually David lifted his hands free, bracing himself up on the bed on his elbows.

Max's laughter died down to a breathless panting, and he once again stared up at David's soft eyes. As if suddenly realizing what happened, Max's smiled fell slowly, breath still shallow.

David's expression fell a bit too, but he kept a small, corner of the mouth turning smile on,"I know today was hard,"

Max watched him speak, and somehow held his gaze,"Yeah,"

David nodded slowly,"Yeah," a soft echo,"And I can't fix that. You know, maybe you can't either. Maybe today was just… predestined to hurt a little," David ran his teeth over his lower lip, thinking,"And there might- no, I'm gonna be honest, there is going to be worse days,"

Max flexed his fingers on his stomach, attentive eyes studying his face,"Yeah,"

"You're gonna hate me sometimes," David said, and heard the strain in his own voice,"And I'm gonna blame any grey hairs I get on you," he grinned, joking,"But there's gonna be good days too,"

Max blinked a few more times to try to take away the sting in his eyes,"Mhm,"

"Mhm, that's right," David nodded again,"And you know I thought today was a good day. I was having fun watching you roll those truffles and run around getting ready to go. But things went wrong, and sometimes that happens. Things change and go wrong and they'll get to both of us at the worst of times in just a few seconds. That kind of… that's a bit scary to me, considering things,"

Finding it difficult to use his voice, Max lowered his eyes from David's gaze and dug his fingernails into his palm,"Mm."

"But at the end of the day, we're both gonna be here, aren't we?" David whispered,"We're going to be right here, talking or not. I'll wait hours for a word from you if I could make you feel better Max."

Worried his hum might catch in his throat and become a whimper, Max remained quiet this time.

"And I will never expect to fix things. I'll never expect you to be as cheery or excited as I am all the time, or even any of the time. But I will do everything I can to make sure you're safe, and warm and fed and _happy_ ," David promised, his voice still a hushed whisper,"But we can't do today over again,"

Max's brow furrowed, and he blinked past his watery eyes to look up at him.

"I wasn't… ready… for that- for today," David admitted, taking a deep breath,"I'm- wow, I don't know what that was. I did what I could, I hope you get that. I know you're a smart kid, Max, you couldn't expect to get out of that without a consequence. I know you know better than that,"

Max remained quiet, but his gaze moved away again.

"So yeah what happened, happened. But I think there's more to what happened. There's a reason you were upset, why you spoke the way you did, and why you ran off tonight. I want to talk about it, but you might not and that's okay. But that means I don't have part of the story, and that forces me make a blind decision based on what happened and what I know. That makes sense doesn't it?"

A small, barely moving shake of his head up and down from the boy on the floor.

"Good… In that case, unless you want to talk, you're grounded for two days,"

Max pulled his lip between his teeth.

David let his words sink in for a moment before taking another deep breath and shifting on the bed.

"So, Max," David began,"Do you want to talk?"

Worrying the rough skin on his lip, Max blinked quickly. He tried to swallow the lump choking him, but had no luck. Instead, it doubled over and the burn stung harshly behind his gaze. He sucked in a breath and turned his head to the side, raising his hands to press against the waterlogged lashes. His strained breath caught, and he felt the sob in his heart before it reached his ears. And the first one only lead to another, and another after that. Max pressed his hands harder against his eyes as each deafening cry tore through his throat.

David's resolve dripped away with every sound, and he climbed forwards off the bed. In the next moment, he gathered Max up off of the floor and into his lap, a soothing hand carding through the desperately tangled curls. He leaned his head down, pressing his nose against Max's head, shutting his eyes with a pained grimace. His shirt may have muffled the sound, but he felt every rocking, shoulder shaking wail against his chest.

Max couldn't breathe any longer, he felt like every gasp was consumed with this thick coating of sadness, as though the air itself around him had darkened. Face pressed firmly against the solid form that was David, he couldn't believe himself. A puddle of tears, limp and inconsolable, being hugged and soothed by the same man he used to consider an enemy. As if the deep, pooling grief and anxiety in his stomach suddenly began to boil, Max sucked a shaking, desperate breath deep into his lungs, and out came a piercing, agonized howl of pain. And just like that, that pit in his stomach had been pushed out with it.

Something about the moment seemed to finally shove another puzzle piece into the mystery of his life. The grief of being left, discarded like an old toy, felt lighter. The feeling of being so hopelessly alone in every part of his existence seemed to melt off of his shoulders. So many worries, hateful feelings and the like all felt collectively easier to carry as that scream melded into the man's shirt. One thing, however, grew fiercer than Max had ever feared. The haunting possibility of David's leaving him tripled. He hated the feeling, imagining himself all alone again, but this time without a camp or David or anyone, really, on his side. Completely, utterly alone. Max lifted a trembling hand and dug into David's shirt, twisting hard.

"I know," David whispered above him,"I know it hurts. You hold on as hard as you want, that's just fine. You won't hurt me, Max,"

Max didn't need to be told twice, and he managed to lift the arm trapped between himself and David, gripping onto his sleeve tightly.

"Good, that's real good," David crooned softly,"You just listen to my voice and take as long as you need to," He assured him,"I'm not going anywhere,"

And he never intended to. He'd stay right here, anytime Max needed him. He would help any way he could, do everything he could to never hear such awful cries again. For now, David just pulled Max closer to himself.

"I'm always gonna be here and wait for you, buddy. One step at a time. Everything will be good, soon. We just got to get past the bumps is all." David said softly,"This will all be fine,"

He repeated similar words for a little while, still rubbing the boy's shuddering shoulders and petting his hair. It was either the words getting through to him or just a natural exhaustion that ended up calming Max down. He continued to pull in shaky breaths, but the tearful sounds had finally quieted. David gave him a few minutes, just letting him breathe, before he spoke.

He turned his head just a touch, laying more of his cheek against his hair than before,"Do you wanna talk now kiddo?"

Max pushed himself back a little from David's jacket,"No,"

"Are you _going_ to talk?"

"Yeah,"

David smiled softly, showing his approval by giving the boy a momentarily tighter hug,"Do you want to sit up?"

There was a pause this time, and Max started moving back, away from his hold. David didn't like the way he remained so quiet, and pointedly held on.

"Max I asked if _you_ wanted to move. It's just fine for me if you want to stay here. I'll stay here just as long as you want, okay?"

Another paused silence, like Max was thinking. Eventually, Max scoot forwards again and leaned into David's hug. He said nothing, but one little movement said a whole lot about his vulnerability. David wouldn't waste the chance to console him further, and began rubbing his back again.

"Do you want to start with the party, buddy?" David asked quietly.

A huff from Max in return, and a strange little shuffle. David frowned, watching him squirm, unsure what was upsetting him. Then, the little camper lifted a hand to scratch his head, just behind his ear, and dropped both hands back to his lap. Curious, David lifted his fingers back to Max's hair. The huffing and wiggling stopped, and the frown firmly planted on Max's expression seemed to lift. David gave another small smile.

"The party?" he repeated, a gentle reminder.

Max sighed this time, and his hands began to fidget in his lap.

"Did they make you uncomfortable? Was the party too big?"

Shaking his head, Max scowled at his lap,"It was like… another memory- thing,"

David recalled the day previous, when he'd mentioned remembering past things,"Mhm?"

"We were playing Yahtzee, and they gave me the dice in the little…" Max moved his hands like he was trying to gesture what it was,"The fuckin cup thing, or whatever. I dumped out the dice and I don't know I just…" he dropped his hands and shrugged,"I remembered back then,"

Tilting his head, David pressed,"Why'd you dump them in your hand?"

Max shot him a dirty scowl,"That's what Neil asked," he snapped, crossing his arms and leaning further against David's chest after dropping his eyes once again; the contrasting gestures brought another smile to David's lips,"It- the cup or whatever, it was too loud. If you cup your hands together it makes it quiet,"

David frowned,"So… what, did you used to play yahtzee that way?"

Max nodded limply,"I guess? With little, like," he moved his hands again, gesturing the little dice,"Pieces of tape or whatever over the edges. Made it quiet,"

"So the adults wouldn't hear," David nodded,"But… who were you playing Yahtzee with?"

Max stilled upon the words reaching his ears, staring ahead. Hands lowered to his lap again, and Max clenched his jaw.

Another uncertain frown from Davey,"Max…?"

"I don't know," Max bit out sharply.

Deciding he'd rather not push his luck, David shifted his foot and wondered what to ask next,"Okay… uh, what about the car buddy?"

Max gripped onto his own sweatshirt, scowling darkly,"I don't know,"

David took a breath,"Well then can you tell me why you were out running around instead of calling me to come-"

Suddenly, Max jerked upright and pushed away from David, clumsily gathering himself up onto his feet,"I don't _know_. Fuck can we just be done?"

Normally, David would have wanted to press, make him talk and calm down the situation. However, his first instinct this time was to stand up and dust himself off.

"Alright. We can be done," he held out his hand,"Phone,"

A flicker of horror crossed Max's face,"What? Fuck no!"

David kept his cool,"I didn't hear a reason for walking out in the cold, _alone_ , and not calling me." He moved his hand a bit,"Give me your phone, I told you you'd be grounded for two days,"

Max's face flickered between anger and confusion, struggling to find words to say. Admitting what happened was just another vulnerable moment, one Max wanted desperately to avoid. He'd lost his cool too many times just in one day, he wanted to avoid it happening again if at all possible. But David was just as annoying now, trying to take away his phone. Even if he told him what happened, he wasn't sure David would let him keep his phone.

Max dug his nails into his palms, flustered as he jumped back and forth between the two ideas. David, on the other hand, wasn't about to let Max stall until he came up with some intricate story. So, retracting his hand, David crossed his arms.

"Max, I want an answer now," He insisted, calmly,"I'm gonna count to three, mister,"

Once again, a shameful redness burned on Max's face,"Cou- _what_?"

Instead of attempting to justify himself, David used the surprise on Max's expression as leverage," _One_. I can be sympathetic to a point, Max, but someone has to draw the line,"

Mortified that he was being not only scolded but _counted at_ , Max lost his train of thought, staring up at him in baffled horror.

"You can't do that! It's- It's not _fair!_ " Max shouted, his foot raising and stomping back down on the carpet.

David lifted his head, eyebrow raised,"How is it not fair, Max? That I'm counting? Or that I'm taking your phone?"

"Yes!" Max shouted, then blinked, confused,"No- It's- _both_! I'm _ten_ I'm not some toddler! You don't… you can't _count_ at me!"

"I can, and I am," David replied,"And that's _two_ ,"

Max groaned in frustration, trying to think of a way out of this situation with as little repercussion as possible. Why was he so damn annoying? Couldn't he just _leave_? Just yell and be angry about it and leave, why did he have to talk? About _everything_.

"Last warning, Max," David interrupted quietly.

Max gave another angry grunt of frustration,"Why are you making this so hard?" He snapped harshly, turning away to start pacing again.

David pushed pause on his stern demeanor, unsure about his words,"Am I making it hard, Max?"

"Yes! You keep asking these weird questions and- and it has nothing to do with it!" He snapped,"Why can't you just _yell_ like a normal person? I ran around in the dark and didn't call you, why isn't that enough? Can't you just- just _here_ ," Max fumbled with his pocket and retrieved his phone,"Just take it,"

David regarded the phone with a touch of uncertainty,"You would rather be punished than tell me what happened?"

"The fucking _questions_ ," Max groaned, throwing his phone onto his bed haphazardly.

And now was the time to push a little, David had to see where they were as far as feeling near the surface; he knelt down, forgetting the phone on the bed and looking Max in the eyes,"Max I understand you're upset and I don't very often put my foot down on this, but when you and I are talking this way, or you're in trouble, I will not have you using that language with me,"

Anger flashed on Max's face, a hateful, biting _fuck you_ on the tip of his tongue, but something about the situation, about David's tone and the way he knelt to speak with him made Max think twice. He pressed his lips into a tight line, clamping down on the angry stream of words he initially intended to release. David didn't do it for control, or to get Max angry so he had an excuse to be angry back. He'd given David plenty of reasons to be angry so far this evening, and he had barely raised his voice above a slightly pitchy spoken tone. He was calm, and Max was cutting straight past calm or upset to angry.

Instead of letting himself do that, he quietly said,"Okay,"

David, while still a touch surprised, nodded his approval,"Thank you. And for the record I'm gonna keep asking questions, you know why?" he waited for a reply that didn't come,"Because I _want_ to be fair. I want to be here, and help you, and try my hardest to understand you,"

Max scoffed, though it lacked what little heat he tried to give,"Right. Because somebody-"

David shook his head,"No, uh-uh. First of all, we just discussed those words," He replied, knowing the rest of the phrase Max seemed to love quoting him on,"And second, nobody has to. Nobody is required to be there for you. No one on this whole planet has any obligation, even if society may say otherwise,"

A deep breath, and David clasped his hands together,"Your parents… your foster parents… friends, all the people… People you think _need_ to be there, sometimes won't be and that's okay. But I have every right to walk away, to send you off. People might even sympathize, being an adoptive parent isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination, but… that's the difference."

"I want you here. I want to know you, to help you through whatever this is. I want to know _why_ you yell at me, or why you're upset or angry or whatever else. So I'll keep asking why, and all the other annoying questions until you tell me."

David took another slow breath,"Do you want to tell me now?"

Max clenched his jaw again, and replied quietly,"No,"

David raised an eyebrow,"Are you going to tell me anyways?"

Hefting a put-upon sigh, Max pushed his hands into his pockets and dropped his eyes,"...Yeah."

David gave a little hum and stood up, sitting on the bed near the headboard,"Well c'mon then,"

Max gave the bed a forlorn gaze, reluctantly stepping forward and climbing onto the covers. His feet remained over the edge, swinging slightly while he looked down at the floor. Remaining still, David tilted his head at the boy.

"What's wrong?" He asked, voice soft.

Another huffing sigh, this time accompanied by a shrug,"It's… it's fuckin weird,"

"Max…" David's tone was lilted with a warning.

Max lowered his head slightly, an acknowledgement to the scolding tone,"Right, uh… Look nobody asked this stuff before,"

"Habits can be broken, and created,"David reminded,"Well you must think about what happened, otherwise it wouldn't be so hard to say,"

"Yeah I _think_ about it. I don't tell anyone," He mumbled in return.

"Well…" David's frown returned as he thought,"Uhm… why not just think out loud then?"

Max shot him a burning gaze,"As if you could keep your da-," David's chin lifted, eyebrow raised while Max hesitated,"ah… Keep quiet, I mean,"

David gave a soft smile,"Thank you. And I promise I won't say a word until you finish, okay?"

Another wary gaze, but Max finally kicked off his shoes and scoot back on the bed to cross his legs,"Fine," He pulled his hands from his pockets and dropped them in his lap,"And I'm… off the hook after I tell you, right?"

David frowned,"No, Max. I said that I wanted you to tell me so I can make a decision based on what happened. I know that you telling me this sort of stuff is hard, but that doesn't mean an automatic out,"

It looked as though Max wanted to argue with that, but he decided to save his breath and turned his eyes down to his lap again,"Whatever."

Another shift on the bed, and Max began to struggle a touch with what he wanted to say first,"We were playing like… Yahtzee, over in Nikki's room. They handed me the dice in the red cup thing and I dumped them into my hand." He squinted down at his hands; the right one ached a little from clenching around the dice,"I had… I remembered something."

David, as promised, remained quiet throughout his words,"I can't really explain it, it's like this kid keeps popping up in all of the memories. Stuff I can't remember until something happens. It's like Deja vu but… really intense. I saw him, his eyes… I heard his voice," Max hesitated,"He told me not to roll the dice with the cup, it was too loud. The parents would hear us and get mad. We actually stole the game, so they would have asked why we had it and got mad."

A steadying breath,"But… the memory just took over and when… when they said my name I was crying. I didn't know what happened, I just… ran out of there, and I grabbed your glass thing and I started walking off."

Quiet covered the room for a few moments. David took in the words he said, waiting intently for a continuation, if there was one. Max tried to clear away the burning in his eyes again, without being too obvious. The face swirled in his head, what happened at the party. He closed his hand, the bruise beginning to throb to life again. He released, and it lessened considerably, leaving once again the very dull bruise. He squeezed his fist again and lifted his head, realizing he wasn't going to get rid of whatever this was and deciding to just get it over with.

"I was gonna call you," He said, voice abnormally quiet,"I was. I just figured if I got to the main road you wouldn't be as mad when you had to come pick me up," His admission made his gaze lower again, feeling the first cool drops of tears touch his cheeks,"I just wanted to leave, I didn't think… I didn't think it bothered me so much." Struggling against his first instinct to console the small figure, David crossed his arms lightly, running his tongue against the back of his teeth to keep quiet,"It's… been ever since they left, like something just popped up and it's random, just whenever," Max shook his head and wiped his eyes,"I hate it… I hate every fucking second- Er, sorry, I didn't mean that one," Max interrupted himself, then fell silent again.

For the second time, silence reigned. Max sniffled once or twice, staring at his hands.

Finally, he sucked in a sharp breath and sat up to glare at David,"Are you just gonna sit there and fucking stare at me?"

David frowned, raising his hands helplessly,"I said I wouldn't say anything until you were done!"

"Well I'm _done_ ," Max huffed, voice breaking.

David had already sat up and scoot forward,"Oh, I know buddy, come here,"

Max had no arguments as David tugged him closer, feeling what was left of the damn start to break. Davey reached under his arms, lifting him up and pulling him into his lap for a proper hug. Once again, his hand ended up in the boy's hair, leaning his cheek against the soft curls. Max dropped his head against the warm surface of Davey's chest, pulling in heavy, shaking breaths. He lifted his sleeves to wipe at his face, feeling quite miserable in his new sorry state.

"I'm sure that was hard, kiddo," David said gently,"Thank you for telling me, I'm very proud of you; you know that don't you?"

Slowly, Max gave a wary nod of his head.

David hummed,"Good, I'm glad,"In truth, he was a bit relieved that Max knew that,"Well, I'm not gonna take your phone, and you're not grounded. I know you were upset, and that's why you left. And I really appreciate you going after my container, it's one of my favorites." David gave another gentle squeeze of an embrace,"But you really scared me okay? I know you meant to call me, but please remember I worry for you okay? I need to know where you are,"

Max gave a small nod.

"Thank you," David shifted a bit,"We haven't really sat down and talked about rules, there's been quite a bit going on since you got here, but that's going to be one of them, okay? I need to know where you are, if plans change or if you leave, I just need to know."

This time, Max sniffled and wiped his face,"Okay,"

David hummed,"Okay. Good, then." He moved his hand to rub Max's back slowly,"And for the record you can always talk to me, about anything. That's what I'm here for. And if you can only talk to me when I stay quiet, that's fine. I can wait until after you're done,"

David had nothing much to say after that, so he focused on comforting the boy in his arms. It was quiet for some time, letting the two of them think, and Max finally seemed calm again. Considering David had picked Max up at eight and spent over forty five minutes getting home, it had to be getting close to nine or nine thirty by then. Tomorrow was Monday, and David had been shopping for school stuff when he received the call from a worriedly unconcerned Candy. He wasn't even sure if Max was ready for school, but he was certainly gonna try to get him up and ready. If Max was okay to go tomorrow, then they could figure it out.

"Max," David said softly,"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Max replied,"I'm fine,"

His words weren't convincing, but David didn't think he could push much more before Max got upset, so he moved on,"Alright. I think you should go to bed then.

A pause, and Max sat up slowly, looking at David with red-rimmed, confused eyes,"It's so early,"

David tried to stay firm,"Can you honestly say you're not tired?"

Rolling his eyes, Max picked at his sweater and muttered sullenly," _No_.."

David smiled at his sulking tone,"Well, since it's only…" he reached across the bed and picked up Max's discarded phone to check the time,"...Nine twelve, I think we can go downstairs and get a little snack before bed, huh?"

Max nodded his head, making the soft curls bounce once again. David patted his shoulder gently and slid off the bed.

"How's hot cocoa sound?" He hummed, in a much more cheery mood.

"Fine," he replied, leaning forward and easing down off the bed; he plucked his phone off the sheets as well.

And things went fine. David led Max down the stairs and got him settled on the couch while he made hot chocolate for the both of them. He swore up and down to himself that he wouldn't normally endulge Max in so many sweets, but added both whipped cream and mini marshmallows to the little delight. Max sipped at it while watching the TV, and quiet unfolded over them. This time, however, it was a nice quiet. David drank his hot chocolate slowly, letting it cool for the most part before taking a long gulp.

Max scrutinized the events of the day. Everything that had happened, the results of that day. Even the morning, where David had defended him in front of the guard. He wondered, only for a moment, how it would have gone down if David had been like the others. The result, he decided, was too hateful to think about. He drank more of his mug and leaned into the side of the couch.

David, through and through, had done the opposite of the others. He didn't know how far that difference would go, but Max allowed himself to hold a little faith into the idea that David was better than he had had before. He'd defended him when another home would have yelled at him for hiding money. He'd talked to him, rather than yelling at all. Even when Max had screamed and kicked and had his breakdown, David tried to talk to him. And when that didn't work? He still didn't try to hit him, or throw him to the curb, or even yell much, really. He hated the way he _had_ dealt with the situation, but he hated it more for the fact that he had been embarrassed, and less the actual punishment. But, nevertheless, it worked to shut him up eventually.

Max couldn't remember much after that. In fact, when he woke up next, he was actually in his own room, in his own bed. And, just like every other night, covered in sweat. He sat up and felt his heart thrum wildly against his chest. It was so dark, suffocatingly so. He jerked to the left, trying desperately to find his phone in his bed, or in his pockets somewhere, but he had nothing. He gave a strained, raspy whine, looking around the pitch black room. He knew where the door was, but the distance between it and the bed suddenly seemed so much farther. He felt very much like crying, the hateful images from his dream haunting him every time he blinked.

Counting to three in his head, he tore off of the bed and raced to the door. Unfortunately, his step was off about a foot or so, and he slammed into the dresser beside the door. His stomach groaned in protest as the upper lip of the dresser crashed against it as well as his lower ribs. Too terrified to stop in his tracks, he jumped over to the door and pulled it open. Even out in the hallway, it was eerily dark. He backed against the wall next to his door, feeling on the verge of panic. No phone, no light, and no idea where he was in the house. A glance to the left, and he saw a soft light from downstairs creeping up the hallway and just barely illuminating the wall and steps leading down. Max hurried over, dropping down onto the step to sit and sliding slowly over the carpet, finally slowing once he was within the light's ray. He glanced behind him with worry, irrationally worrying that the man may race after him out of nowhere.

Gentle, silent sliding guided him the rest of the way down. The lamp from the living room was on, he knew that much. As the room came into view, he saw David's purple socks on the carpet beside the couch. A little closer, and he saw David's legs were leant to the right, as though he was slumped over. As much as he wanted to smush the fear, Max felt a sharp, all encompassing panic; was he _dead_? Another step, weighted with dread and quickening breath, and Max leaned down to see the rest of the room. David was slumped over on the couch as Max thought, but upon closer inspection, he also saw his chest rising and falling slowly. The idiot had just fallen asleep is all. Max crept the rest of the way down, careful to avoid any creaking.

After reaching the bottom, successfully not waking David up, he approached the couch slowly. Scattered around the unconscious man was various items; pencils, notebooks, binders, pens. All sorts of stuff school-related. Amongst the mess was a simple grey and black bookbag with lots of pockets, most of which were already filled with supplies. Max had almost entirely forgotten about the prospect of school, and considering the events last night, he hadn't thought about the fact that the very next day would be his start. He poked around the little pile of supplies, wondering where his phone had gone as he edged closer. He wasn't sure of David's nighttime policy as far as getting out of bed, but he was just going to be quiet enough that he wouldn't wake him.

Considering he had been brought up to bed- probably by David since he didn't remember going to bed- he wasn't really even sure what time it was. He glanced back at the stairs, feeling a creeping uneasiness about having the empty darkness behind him. He stepped to the other side of the couch, where David's head was laid, eyeing the dimly lit area warily. Next, his eyes turned to the front door. A few soft steps over, and he double checked it was locked shut. Back over beside David, he slowly sat down near the head of the couch, his back pressed firmly against the cushion.

Without a phone, or any desire to go back upstairs, Max settled in on the floor. He could sleep in an uncomfortable place, it wasn't too complicated for him. He shut his eyes against the light, leaning his head to the left and trying to soothe his heavy breathing heart with slow breaths. Happy thoughts, calm breathing, then sleep. That would work. So max relaxed, and thought his thoughts.

He wondered about Nikki and Neil, and where they'd be going for class. Maybe they would have the same classroom. If the three of them were together in school, Max would have gotten more detentions than ever just by playing jokes. He wondered what would happen if he brought home that slip to- to…

Max jolted upright, feeling as though he had dropped off of a cliff somewhere while he slipped into sleep. The face jumped to life again behind closed eyes, rocking him to awareness within the split second. He sighed, annoyed by the image. He glanced up at David's sleeping form. Considering his position on the floor for a moment, Max scoot himself to the left and turned around.

He pulled his knees forward, sliding under the couch slightly. His arms folded over the couch cushion as he leaned forward, resting his head on his right elbow. Now David's head was more so to his left. Eyes half-lidded and heavy, Max poked his hand out from under his folded arms and cautiously reached forward and held onto a loose fold on Davey's shirt. Eyes looking over David's face, Max's blinking became slower and slower. And he slipped into sleep once again.


	15. Worries, Wine, and Wishes

" _Max_ ,"

Eye's still heavy and tired, Max heard his name spoken in a soft voice above him. He swallowed and gave a small hum, shifting.

"Hey buddy," David's voice cooed quietly.

Max intended to sit up and shift again, but he felt David's fingers brush the back of his neck, carding through his hair delicately. Another quiet hum rumbled in his chest, and Max remained where he was, not wanting to cut the gesture short if he could help it.

"You have class in an hour, Max," David continued, still quiet while Max slowly woke up,"You gotta get up and get ready,"

"I'm _tired_ ," Max sighed.

"No, I doubt that," David chuckled,"You went to bed at nine thirty, and it's six forty now. That's more than eight hours, unless you came down here and stayed up?"

"I didn't," Max mumbled.

"Max…" A warning tone accompanied David's hand retracting from the boy's hair.

"I _didn't_ ," Max huffed, finally sitting up to scowl at David," _God_."

David frowned,"Alright, then. How did you end up down here, kiddo?"

Max shifted away from his cross-legged position in front of the couch, uncomfortably recalling the events of the night previous,"I… couldn't find my phone,"

"Oh! I put it upstairs, it was charging on the wall," David hummed.

Max hummed, shifting back from the couch. As he moved, his stomach groaned in protest, muscles achy. He winced while he remembered his run in with the dresser the night previous. He didn't let an indication of pain cross his face, instead focused on standing up so he could get dressed. He lifted himself off the floor by leaning his elbow against the coffee table, and in the process knocked over a few scattered pencils and a pair of thin tubes filled with shiny blue and white glitter.

Max cast an unappealing look at the items as he picked them up off the floor,"Why are you putting glitter into my bag?"

David smiled and shrugged,"It's your school colors! Why not?" He hummed, reminded of the unpacked bag and pulling it closer so he could actually pack it for Max to go.

Figuring it wasn't worth bickering about, Max stood, intending to go upstairs before David wanted to talk about something he didn't particularly want to.

"I'll make some eggs- how do you like them?" David asked, cheery; he had finally picked up a few things from the grocery while Max was at the party, along with the obvious school supplies.

Max glanced at him a moment,"Uh… cooked," He mumbled, a touch of confusion on his expression even as he took a few steps to once again try and leave.

David smiled,"I figured. Hey Max?"

Max groaned and rolled his eyes, dramatically turning around to glare at David," _What_?"

Despite his attitude, David remained calm,"Just for the record; I won't ask about it if you don't want me to,"

Knowing he meant this morning, Max used a few moments searching for sarcasm that wasn't there before replying,"Scrambled," A pause, and then he turned his eyes away as he tacked on a mumbled,"Please,"

With that, he turned on his heel and headed upstairs; he was more than happy to see that the window in the hall was letting light shine through onto the carpet.

Once he was back in his room, Max sent a rueful glare towards the dresser and retrieved a pair of jeans from the drawer. Now with the light on, he saw his phone charging across the room like David said. Phone found, now he just had to get dressed...for school. He had already dreaded the idea of it for some time, but now that it was actually here, it seemed like just a weight on his shoulders. It may just be better to get it over with, at this point. Well, maybe…

No, no. Max wasn't about to push it after last night. The talk was insufferable, and he didn't want to push David's buttons so close to his last declaration of control. If he went at another round of it now, he worried David might lose it on just the second day in. So instead, Max got dressed in his new jeans and a black shirt and went downstairs to eat whatever David decided to make with eggs.

Shoes on, phone in his pocket, hoodie on; Max dropped down on the couch and flipped the TV on. The smell of garlic and butter floated in the air. Max pulled in a deep breath through his nose. He wouldn't admit it but _damn_ that smelled good.

"Max, come sit in the kitchen," David called.

Max groaned," _Why_? I have the TV in here,"

"Because you don't need TV all the time," David retorted,"I've got toast and eggs, come eat before we have to leave,"

Once again, Max reminded himself not to push it, and huffed another sigh before walking into the kitchen. He made a show of scraping his chair against the floor, but said no other protest.

David brought him a plate of eggs and toast moments later, and offered him a fork,"I make mine with a little milk and garlic, it adds some flavor," He hummed,"Do you want ketchup?"

Max shook his head and dug in to his food, peering out of the corner of his eye to watch the TV through the doorway. He had to admit, David made a helluva good plate of eggs.

"So I can take you to school today, _yay_!" David hummed cheerfully,"But I think I'm getting off work the same time you get out of school; would you hate it if I asked you to wait at the library until I could come get you?"

Max shrugged,"That's fine,"

David smiled,"Okay! Great, then! I'm off at two thirty, I should be up at the library before three,"

A hum from Max while he ate breakfast, still glancing into the livingroom to watch his show. David noticed, but decided Max was at least eating, and in the kitchen, so he wouldn't bother messing with the situation. He ate his own helping of eggs quietly, more than happy to enjoy the peace for a moment.

Next thing he knew, Max was staring at the building through his window, an uncertain mix of excitement and dread in his stomach. Sure, he'd never been the popular guy, nor was he explicitly targeted by bullies, but there was something so underwhelmingly tedious and uncomfortable about school. The first day greeting games, group projects no one works on, the _homework_. Homework was the bane of his existence, always finished ten minutes before it was collected, if he bothered to do it at all. Max had never been above a C student, and even that was to appease parents and assure he continued to move up a grade. He had no idea what David's expectations would be, but he wasn't sure of a lot of things as far as life went these days. Unfamiliar house, unfamiliar school, unfamiliar people.

David pulled up to the little drop off line, and tugged his phone from his pocket. He twisted in his seat, opening the camera and pointing the image at Max.

"Max!" he chirped, catching the boy's attention,"Smile!"

Max grimaced as the flash went off in his eyes,"Fuck, David, what are you doing?"

"First day pictures!" David insisted, tapping the flash button,"Just one smile? _Please_?"

With a roll of his eyes, Max opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk, deciding to walk the rest of the way instead of waiting for David to drive him up. He shut the door before he could really make out any of the man's protests, shifting his bag on his back and trudging towards to doors.

David resigned himself to a quiet sigh when Max hurried out of the car. Well, he got sort of a picture, at least. Max's eyes were squinted from the flash, but he had his backpack on. Close enough.

Flipping the radio on, David dropped his phone into the passenger seat and pulled away from the drop off line. He had work today at eleven, so he had some time to kill before he had to get ready and head out. What to do with that time, he wasn't really sure.

He didn't want to sit around all morning, it would drive him nuts wondering about Max, but he didn't really have much else to do. Maybe he could vacuum? He hadn't done too much cleaning since Max got home, even though the house was still generally spotless. The mud from night one was gone, he'd cleaned up after making truffles, and they hadn't had a real meal together yet, so no big clean up. Even this morning's dishes were handled before they left.

David pondered what his purpose might be as he drove home, tapping his fingers with the beat of the song. Eventually, he decided he could just go up to Camp Campbell and see if there was anything left to pick around with, make sure everything had been sent out since he hadn't been up there in a few days.

The debt of the place really did worry him. He knew Campbell was in trouble, he had no idea how much until he'd actually sat down and read through it all. Hidden reports, unpaid taxes, letters and bills that went unopened. At the rate they were going, the camp wouldn't even be open next year. With everything he had, David would do his absolute best to keep from losing the camp. It was his childhood, and he wanted to help. How he could help, though, he wasn't sure.

Thoughts a bit jumbled, David drove over to the camp. Within a half hour he drove up the gravelled path towards the woods, wishing the weather were warmer so he could roll his window down and enjoy the breeze. Pulling up towards the cabin, he retrieved his keys and zipped up his jacket. Once his door was opened, the wind carried a bassy, fast-paced song from the building. He frowned; He had no idea Gwen would be here today. Either way, he smiled at the pleasant surprise and strolled up to the door.

As soon as the chilly air entered the room, David's smile dropped from his expression. Sat on the floor, leaning against the far side of the wall, Gwen had her eyes closed with a bottle of wine in her hand. She had her head tipped back, singing along to the song in a loud, uncaring howl of tone that just barely carried over the blaring music.

" _Hello, Hello, Let me tell you what it's like to be a Zero, Zero-"_

David winced at the blasted, bass-boosted sound from the radio and crossed the room to turn it down. Gwen shook her head, eyes open and scanning the room until she spotted David. He frowned, crossing his arms while she perked up and grinned.

" _David_!" She hooted,"Welcome; the pity party may now _begin_ ,"

Something a bit scalding about being publicly drunk sat on the tip of David's tongue, but upon closer inspection, he saw shiny streaks on Gwen's face. For whatever reason, she had been crying while chugging her drink of choice. He walked towards her and knelt on the floor, reaching out to push messy hair away from her face. She blinked tiredly at him, eyes bloodshot and droopy.

"What's going on, Gwen?" He asked, realizing that she was actually on her second bottle of wine, as a second, _empty_ bottle was hidden behind her hip,"Why are you here?"

She leaned forward,"Well isn't that the question? Why are _any_ of us here?" She grinned and giggled.

David sighed,"Gwendolyn, I'm serious,"

Gwen scrunched her nose and rolled her eyes, her head to the side, away from him,"Yeah, whatever. Just go home David,"

Ruefully, David had to note the similarities between a drunk Gwen and an unhappy Max,"I'm not leaving you like this,"

"You don't have to stay. Get what you want and leave," She huffed, eyes closed and head bobbing to the new song that played in the background- something by _Bastille._

"I don't have to, but I will," He murmured,"What's going on? Did something happen?"

Gwen heaved a heavy sigh,"My mom came to visit, she's staying at the house," She mumbled,"Keeps asking about the camp… when I'm getting a real job. Or a _boyfriend_ ,"

David winced,"Right. I know she can bug you, but-,"

Gwen laughed, having not been listening,"The funniest part is I don't have _any_ job. THis place is _tanked_ , Davey,"

Another frown from the man,"Well, I wouldn't go that far-"

" _Thousands_ and _thousands_ of dollars is just what we owe for this year, and on top of that is the debt Campbell managed to wrack up in lawsuits. I would quit, but for some _fucking reason_ , nobody wants to hire me," Gwen scowled,"So, I'm stuck here figuring it out, and waiting for McDonalds to email me about a cashier position that won't help me pay the rent at all,"

David averted his eyes, biting his lip,"I… I suppose you're right,"

" _Thank you_ ," Gwen's head bobbed, and she sighed,"I hate being an adult,"

David smiled softly,"I know. It's not very fun sometimes,"

Gwen scowled," _Sometimes_?" She barked a laugh, but it held no amusement,"Try _always_ ,"

David tsked,"Aw, come on. You can do lots of fun things."

Gwen turned her head with dangerously tearful eyes,"Like _what_?"

David chuckled,"Like drink, or stay out late, or eat cake for breakfast," He listed a few things,"Or visit that… erm… _adult_ store.""

Gwen laughed again, more light, but her expression fell shortly after, and she lifted a shaking hand to her face, squeezing her eyes shut,"... _fuck_."

Putting a hand on her shoulder, David watched her try to compose herself,"Things will get better. I know they will-"

"No, you don't." Gwen snapped, sniffling and wiping at her face,"Now if you'll leave, I'd like some alone time with my liquidized grapes." She lifted the bottle in a little salute and brought it to her lips.

David shook his head and grasped the bottle,"No, Gwen, I really think you should be done with that."

Gwen huffed and pulled back on his grip," _No_ , gimme,"

Both were unrelenting, David making sure he wouldn't splash any on either of them and carefully pulling away, but Gwen was far more determined to take the wine back, and gave an angry shout as she yanked with her whole body. She tipped back, and the force of her pull pitched David forward. The wine dropped and rolled away, dumping its contents onto the hardwood. After a brief fumble, David managed to catch himself after all and, bracing himself up before he completely fell, David found himself staring down at Gwen. Despite her adventure with way too much wine, her eyes were wide and attentive, looking right back at David.

David's face burned with uncertain embarrassment, beginning to stutter an apology; he'd been caught off guard by such a forceful tug, but he probably should have expected it. It was his fault, and at this point he wouldn't have the confidence to argue even if it wasn't. Their position, in the end, was not optimal for that sort of argument. Before a word could leave his mouth, Gwen sat up and lifted her hand, grabbing David's jacket and pulling him closer.

A sloppy, uncoordinated kiss unfolded. David's stomach flipped, body tense. This was _happening_. Every instance of their relationship rushed to the front of his eyes; Meeting at the camp, their first year working as counselors, the late nights with movies and smores after the campers had gone to sleep. Countless memories together, it all felt so...surreal in the moment. It had been five years since they'd met, five years of gossiping and unyielding friendship. A friendship that, without a question in his mind, was more important than countless things in his life. Definitely more important than risking losing it over a drunken kiss.

That's why, even after his careful consideration, David found himself conflicted when he looped an arm under her waist, lifting Gwen up of the floor further with his opposite hand. He leant forward, deepening the unexpected kiss and closing his eyes to the worrisome thoughts. For a moment, he just forgot the world outside of that room. Gwen moved her hand up from his chest to his shoulder, thumb brushing his neck gently. Her unpainted nails ran against the base of his neck, curling in his hair. He relished the moment selfishly.

It was the taste of wine on Gwen's lips that made him pull away in the end. Regardless of what he was thinking, and how much he wanted to sit in the last few seconds for as long as he wanted, Gwen was drunk beyond comprehension. That fact is what made David pull himself away from her lips. He tipped his head forward, resting his forehead against Gwen's and running his tongue across his teeth.

"Okay, we- we're not doing this." David spoke in a soft, shaken tone.

Gwen's only reply was a muted hum, and her hand shifted loosely against his shoulder. Pulling back to look her over, David realized she was dozing off in his hold. Guilt settled heavy in his belly, despite having done nothing wrong. He shook his head free from worry and situated himself. Pushing a breath out through his nose and shifting himself back onto his knees, he lifted Gwen into a sitting up position. From there, the girl slumped forward against his chest with a sleepy mumbled. Another pang of guilt; she was really out of it.

He took the next ten minutes to put Gwen into one of the bunkbeds, digging out of the closet an old blanket to cover her with and clean up the spilled wine. He dumped the remainder of the drink into the gravel outside, wanting her to sleep until she sobered up so she could drive home. Wine gone, Gwen in bed, and not much else to do, David made up his mind that it might be best to come back to help out another time, and climbed back into his car.

His face was still warm, but his stomach was doing somersaults while he drove. He did his best to avoid thinking about the events that had just transpired, until his phone buzzed on the passenger seat. Unsure if it might be Max or Gwen, and deciding it was important regardless, David pulled over on the side of the road and lifted his phone to check it.

 **Max: 8:53 am;** _Can you pick me up?_

 **Max: 8:53 am;** _I feel like I'm gonna throw up_

David wasn't sure if the sound that left his mouth next was a groan or an unhappy whine, but it was still disheartening regardless.

Okay, maybe day one for school was too soon. Max just got home, he was probably nervous about moving in, let alone school. That was definitely David's fault, and he would go pick him up. But he really didn't want Max home by himself, especially not when he was so worried. He needed someone to be there with him, and he couldn't miss work; he was still on probation… The sound out of his mouth next was _definitely_ a groan this time. His only choice was Gwen. After what just happened, he hated to bother her, but even if she was drunk she was at the house and had the ability to call David if Max ran off or hurt himself.

With his own nerves bundled in his stomach, David replied to Max's text before turning the car around and heading right back to camp to pick up the impromptu babysitter.

 **David: 8:55 am;** _I'll be there as soon as I can, buddy! Deep breaths, give me a half hour or so :(_

Now that he'd gotten back to the camp and unlocked the cabin once again, he stood over the bed, keyed up and face warm. Normally, he wouldn't mind just lifting Gwen if she were hurt or sleeping somewhere she shouldn't be. Now, everything felt… awkward. He closed his hands at his sides, and opened them, the restless gesture somehow only adding to his uneasiness.

He reminded himself that whatever happened meant nothing until there was a discussion; if there was ever even a discussion to be had. He and Gwen were still friends, nothing more. He just had to get her back to the car and everything would be fine. Half hour drive to the house to lay her down on the couch, then run and pick up Max from school before he went to work. Easy peasy, that's all he had to do.

Sucking in a deep breath, he leant forward and gently slipped his hands under Gwen's knees and back to pick her up from the creaky mattress. He carried her to the car and delicately set her into the passenger seat. After dragging the seatbelt across her chest to the clip, he returned to the driver's seat and drove home.

Trying not to think about the situation was near impossible with Gwen in the passenger seat. Anytime David forgot she was there, Gwen would shift or snore and startle him all over again, as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't. The drive felt far, far longer than a half an hour, and more than once did David consider just hiding in his room for the rest of the time before he went to work.

In the end, David did everything he could to avoid his own thoughts by interrupting them with song lyrics or a shopping list of sorts. He finally got them both home and lifted Gwen out of the car.

As he walked to the door, Gwen shifted in his arms, her head lifting slightly before lowering again. Her cheek brushed against his chest with each movement, and a hand lifted off of her stomach to very loosely hold onto a fold in David's shirt. The sweet gesture would normally be smiled at, but David stared blankly, unsure how to feel about it now. He walked forward, his heart heavy in his chest as he neared the door.

After finally getting Gwen onto the couch and covering her up, David retreated back to the car so he could hurry to pick up Max. He'd wasted plenty of time already, and he was sure Max wasn't happy to wait for him when he was nervous. In the car alone, David turned the music up loud enough that his wandering mind filled with the calming songs he knew so well. Before he knew it, he pulled into the parking lot at Tumblewood middle school.

When he entered, he saw the back of Max's head through the glass in the office. He allowed himself a final deep breath to wash away the events of the day so far, and walked inside. With a slightly fake smile, he approached the front desk.

"Good morning," He said, his cheery tone somewhat diminished,"I'm here to sign out Max M…" David pressed his knuckles down against the counter, remembering Max sitting behind him and knowing how much he hated the name.

The woman smiled brightly,"Okay, just sign his and your names here, and date it on the side," She offered him a clipboard.

David nodded and turned, offering a hand to Max as he sloppily signed the sheet,"Come on, kiddo, let's go home,"

To his surprise, Max's nose crinkled,"Don't call me that," He slid out of his chair

Confused, David shook his head and gave a passing smile to the woman before walking back to Max's side,"Is something up?"

"Nope," Max answered calmly.

David bit back comment, and followed the boy to the car. He had to be at work soon, he didn't have much time to chat and he would hate to have to leave in the middle of something he started. So, he drove them both home in an uneasy silence.

He couldn't stop the image from popping up in his head; Gwen's wide eyes, messily pulled back hair, the surprised partial parting of her lips as if she was going to say something and decided not to. He clutched the wheel harder as the picture resided behind his eyes once again, turning the skin on his knuckles a pale white.

Max saw this, and glanced at David apprehensively,"...You didn't have to pick me up," He offered quietly.

David gave a jerky shake of his head, sparing a glance at Max and looking back to the road,"Hm? What- no, kid- _buddy_ … I'm not mad,"

Max squinted,"I didn't say you were…"

David frowned, wetting his lips,"You didn't? Oh,"

After a beat of silence, Max spoke,"Is something up, dude?"

David grit his teeth a moment, wide eyes staring ahead but not really looking,"No. Everything's fine, Max,"

Untrusting of the unusually quiet voice, Max glared,"Then what is wrong with you?"

A less frantic shake of the man's head, and he struggled to find the right words,"I...,"

The gravel rumbled under his tires as he pulled up to the house.

"I'll… let you know when I figure it out,"


	16. Glittery Days

Max entered the doors of the school with a sense of apprehension about the place. A little part of him was actually curious what the place might have to offer, but a large part was still adamantly furious that the first day of school seemed to keep showing up, despite his hatred for it.

Already the place was loud and overwhelming. Kids running around screaming about seeing friends again, teachers guiding people place to place. Announcements overhead were muffled by the voices around him, and he couldn't quite make out anything being said. Ignoring the incoherent loud speaker, Max pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the email with a picture of the school's map. He turned the device sideways and glanced up again, heading down the cramped halls towards his class.

With minimal annoyance or bumping, Max finally found his homeroom. Standing outside the door was a tall, thin man with a button down blue shirt and khakis. He had glasses pushed up on his nose, a pencil in his ear, and well-groomed wiry white hair. He greeted two girls, who barely acknowledged him, with a smile. In front of Max was a guy with a gameboy in his hands. He gave the older man a half-assed 'goodmorning' and passed on by. What Max presumed was the teacher turned his eyes back from the class down to Max. His smile fell, eyes running over his old hoody and tattered shoes, before turning away entirely. Max scowled at the dismissal, and walked inside. What a lovely start to the day.

On a brighter note, Max managed to find a seat in the perfect spot; Back corner, next to the window. His bag hit the floor with a quiet thump, and he slid into his seat, hoping the so far assholish teacher wouldn't insist on assigned seats. After crossing his arms and laying his head forward on them and the desk, he turned his gaze out the window.

Sitting on the sill outside was a fat little bird with blue and yellow feathers, eyeing something out of Max's view. It hopped forward once or twice, then poked its beak against the corner, retrieving a spindly spider from an unseen web. Max raised an eyebrow, watching the little bird without comment.

After a few minutes of scattered chatting around the room, a shrill bell rung through the room and the hallways. Voices continued, but the old teacher walked into the room and shut the door. He raised his hands and clapped them together three times, gathering the attention of the room.

"Alright!" He chuckled,"Time to get settled in,"

Max didn't move other than to tip his head to the other side, eyeing the man lazily.

"I'm Mr. Vetroups. _Vey-troops,_ it's kind of hard to pronounce, so you can call me Mr. V. if you want, too,"

He walked to the desk in the front of the room and picked up a stack of pristinely white printer paper. At the front of a row, he counted out a few and set them down on the first desk.

"Okay, pass a paper down each row, we're gonna make name tags,"

Max puffed a quiet sigh into the fabric of his jacket sleeves, the sound lost among the quiet murmuring of the classroom. He sat up as the paper was passed down his row, accepting the last sheet from the girl ahead of him.

Vetroups stood at the front of the room, uncapping a dry erase marker. He drew what vaguely resembled a folded piece of paper, standing up in a triangle. Then he wrote his name, and drew a book on the front side of the paper, as well as a misshapen figure that looked almost like a dog.

" _So_ ," His voice was a touch loud, cutting through the voices again,"I want you guys to write your first and last name, and draw two things you guys think are part of you. When everyone is done, we'll all say hi to each other,"

Max watched him go into demonstrating how to fold a paper the right way to get it to stand, but he wasn't involved very much. He was hung up on the bit about a last name. Technically, he had one, but he hated the idea of using it.

When he'd first heard it, it sounded alright, but something changed since then. Now, just hearing it could make his skin crawl. He looked down at the blank paper, slowly folding it into the little triangle, although his was a bit sloppier than the demo. 'Max' should be fine as is. It wasn't that big a deal, he had until Friday to decide what to put down as official. He flattened the sheet and leaned into his bag to dig out the markers Davey stuffed in there earlier. With a fat green marker, he scrawled his name in big letters over the page.

Two things that were a part of him, huh? Max scratched his cheek with the back of the marker, wondering what to put down. He liked to read? Upon glancing up at the board, he decided he would rather not have the same symbol on his paper as the old fart up front had. Something else, then. He glanced at the window again, seeing the little bird hop around to scan for more spiders. Lifting the marker again, Max started to draw his impression of the chipper bird.

Something about drawing an animal reminded Max of the activities at camp. He recalled David standing over his shoulder a few times, a dopey grin on his face as he praised the scribble Max managed to produce. He knew it wasn't good, but David insisted otherwise and hung it up just like everyone else's. Having it displayed made Max wish he'd used a little more effort on it. Max made up for the bittersweet memory by putting in a little bit more time on his bird.

While he began considering his second picture, he saw Vetroups out of the corner of his eye, walking down the desk aisles. To the boy's dismay, he stopped beside his desk.

"I said first and last name," His tone was condescending,"Not great at following directions, are we?"

Max clenched his fingers around the marker in his hands. Day one, and buttons are already being pushed. He bit his tongue against a nasty comment and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, guess not," He mumbled, continuing on the bird.

Intending to let the guy leave and continue working on his nametag, Max began to ignore the man. That was, of course, until his paper was pulled from his hands. Max sat up, eyes finally lifting to look at him. A fresh paper was dropped on his desk, just as clean as his first, and the one Max had drawn on was crinkled up in Vetroups hands.

"Try to fit both this time, okay kiddo?" His smile was tight and eerily unfriendly.

Max had no words, dumbfounded by the outright hateful action. He walked away with the crumpled page and tossed it into the trashcan by his desk. Left with a new paper, a new sense of hatred for Vetroups, and a dashed hope for a civil day, Max grit his teeth.

Game on.

After being given near a half hour to fume about his trashed project, Max stared ahead at the whiteboard, scheming his pros and cons of what he might do in retaliation. An obvious con is the possibility of David finding out and getting mad, but even that was pushed back just because of how angry Max was. Another con was driving a feud he could potentially ignore. But, once again, the white hot ball of anger in Max's chest drove him to ignore that option.

After considering much more unpleasant and suspension-worthy crimes, Max's thoughts finally zeroed in on the memory of the little tubes of glitter David had added to his bag that morning. A light, almost unnoticeable grin touched the corners of his lips and Max bent over a bit to dig around in his bag for the item in question.

V called kids by the row, starting in the front right corner by the door and calling each kid up to present their little nametag. Some were soft spoken and fidgeted uncertainly, others presented with a big smile and loud voice. They droned on about family, dogs, friends, and the like, and Max couldn't find it in himself to give a shit. He spent the time glaring scathing holes into Vetroups's face any time he looked up, and working on his revenge. Preoccupied writing or watching the presentations, he paid no mind to the gaze until it was finally Max's turn.

"Max Mora, come on up," He called, though his voice held the tone of a sigh.

Carefully lifting his delicately folded name tag, Max stood from his seat. He was careful to keep the name pointed at his chest, so Vetroups didn't see that he hadn't followed directions before he got to the front of the room. Once he got to the front, he kept his body turned away from the man while he spoke.

"I'm Max," He announced, finally turning his tag around; a ripple of gasps and laughter from the room

On the front, in the same green marker he had scrawled his name in, was the words 'FUCK OFF', prominently displayed across the entirety of the page. Curious about why the class had such a reaction, Vetroups stood and took Max by the shoulder to turn him round. Upon seeing the vulgar word, he scowled and snatched the folded name tag from Max, just like the boy had planned.

Out of the folded item was a massive puff of glitter, pushed out of the fold because Vetroups had grabbed it round the middle and yanked. The glitter cascaded down all over the man's pants, his sweater, the floor and the desk. As soon as it was registered what had happened, laughter erupted from the kids. A smug hint of a grin on his face, Max knelt to reach into the trash can, retrieving his old, crumpled up nametag. While V was distracted, he tucked it into his pocket and stood again.

Fury coated the man's expression amidst the howl of laughter in the room. Max met his angry face with an even look of his own, hands tucked into his pockets.

"Think twice next time you screw around with my stuff," Max hummed quietly,"I've been through worse,"

Vetroups scowled darkly at the boy,"Go to the office," he growled," _Now_."

Max only smiled at the threatening tone, and gave him a wink,"Yes, sir,"

Proud of himself, he walked back to the desk as Vetroups got the class to settle down, in the meantime trying his hardest to brush away the glitter that Max knew wouldn't come off. He lifted his bag and took his pack of markers, then returned to the front to take the note Vetroups begrudgingly held out to him. Head held high, he left the room and walked down the hallway.

His sense of pride drooped slightly upon entering the office and offering the note from V. This was because, after handing the receptionist the note, she instructed him to do the following;

"Just go sit in that seat and we'll call your parents,"

Yes, the cost would outweigh the benefit now that Max considered it. Of course, he hadn't thought about the repercussions at the time of the incident. If they called David, he would be pissed; _especially_ on the first damn day of school. What could he do? An excuse? David's at work, don't bother him? Run away? _Fuck_ , Max thought, mind racing for a solution. The clacking of the thick buttons being pressed on the phone made an idea jump to Max's mind then.

"Excuse me?" He put on his softest, most innocent sounding voice,"The number in the computer is actually my dad's work phone,"

The woman tilted her head,"That's fine…?"

Max shook his head, making a show of exaggerating the gesture,"No, no, he told me not to call his work phone, it gets him in trouble and he wanted me to tell you to change it," He was lying through his teeth, but something about the way the poor girl looked at him let him know she bought it,"I have his personal number, can you use that? I don't want him to get even madder…" And, a final touch, was the soft little sniffle at the end while he dropped his eyes to his shoes.

The woman's shoulders sank as she set the phone back on the receiver, a clearly pitiful look on her face,"Oh… Yes, we can call his personal phone, can you give me the number?"

Max nodded, but kept his shy demeanor, reciting the number he wanted to give her before asking,"Could I go to the bathroom?"

She nodded as the phone rang, pointing at the corner of the room, where a little hallway was,"Just down there,"

Making his way back to the hallway, Max jammed his hand into his pocket to silence his ringer as he tried to nonchalantly hurry to the bathroom. Just as he hoped, his luck held out and the bathroom was empty. Locking himself into a stall, Max sat on the toilet and pulled his phone free from his jeans, punching the answer button and lifting it to his ear.

He dropped his voice as low as he could while still making it sound normal,"Hello?"

" _Hello, Mr… Jones, David Jones, right?_ "

"This is he," Max answered, straining his ears to listen for anyone entering the bathroom.

" _Okay, this is Sarah Rose of Tumblewoods Middle school, I'm calling about your son- Max Mora?"_

Max grimaced,"Is something wrong?"

" _No, he's just fine, but he's been sent to the principal's office, and it's a requirement that we notify the parents of any time spent out of class for disciplinary reasons._ "

Max rolled his eyes,"Okay, thank you for the call. Do I need to pick him up?"

" _You do have that option, yes. Otherwise, Max will sit in the office and his work will be brought to him for the day,"_

Max considered the options. He could text David he felt sick, or play the pity card and say he was scared. His other option was to sit in a room all day by himself and stare at his phone which- he checked the battery percentage quickly- was already at 70%. If he called and said he was sick at just the right time, he could actually get the house to himself. He had to work at 11, so he had no choice but to leave Max at home to chill. Max took a breath and turned his deeper voice back on.

"I'll be over as soon as I can, thank you for calling,"

" _No problem, we'll see you then, sir,"_

Max hung up the phone and let a breath of relief push out. Well, that was handled. He waited in the bathroom for a little while longer so he wasn't suspicious, and made sure to flush and wet his hands before going back out to the lobby. Just to be safe, he put a mildly dejected sort of look on his face while he took a seat in the waiting chairs.

The girl, Sarah, straightened up as he entered,"Well, your dad is coming to get you in a little while," She told him,"Here, Max, this paper goes to your dad when he comes in,"

Max slid out of his little chair and walked to the counter to take the page.

 _Max refused to follow directions in class, and caused disruptions after writing a vulgar term on his nametag, presenting it to the class._

~ _Chris Vetroups_

While Max scowled at the note, Sarah continued,"It needs to be signed by your dad and returned here tomorrow,"

Max fought the urge to roll his eyes and returned to his seat. Sarah, apparently, decided to go back to sorting through papers. With her not paying much mind, Max sent David a text.

 **Max: 8:53 am;** _Can you pick me up?_

 **Max: 8:53 am;** _I feel like I'm gonna throw up_

Messages sent, Max pushed his phone back into his pocket. All he had to do was wait until David showed up, then he was off and home free.

Now that he thought about it, he could really pull this trick whenever he wanted. David had no idea, the receptionist ate up whatever he said as long as he looked sad. He wouldn't push the envelope too far, but today had been worth the trouble of figuring out what to do last minute, considering the look on Vetroup's face. Max swung his feet in the chair, bringing the crumpled paper out of his pocket. He carefully tugged at edges and smoothed out the creases until it was a flat paper, with his name in the middle as well as the bird. He had to admit, he felt a little relieved in seeing that Vetroups snatching the paper didn't mess up his drawing. He cast a glance at the front desk and pulled the pack of markers out again, selecting his green one and a folder from his backpack. He set to work, continuing drawing the little bird on the now crumpled paper. His phone buzzed just as he started and, anxious to make sure David would actually show up, he checked the message.

 **David: 8:55 am;** _I'll be there as soon as I can, buddy! Deep breaths, give me a half hour or so :(_

Max rolled his eyes, but the attitude didn't lessen the tiny bit of guilt in his stomach, knowing David was probably worried about him. After returning his phone to his pocket, he went about drawing the little bird on his paper. He drew lines to add the texture of feathers, and the little feet. Under the feet he drew parallel lines, both leading of the page. From there he added branches to the little tree, and colored in leaves. It was kind of mind numbing, just drawing whatever he wanted.

Soon, he'd nearly filled the page with the green ink. It wasn't a particularly bad drawing, but it wasn't going to be hung in an art gallery anytime soon. Max liked it, and he opted to only care about his opinion. When he finally glanced up, Max was plenty surprised to see David walk in from the office door. Had he really spent that much time on the drawing? While that question posed some interesting points, Max was more intrigued with David. He hadn't said a word when he walked in, going straight to the desk. Max tucked the picture back into his pocket, focusing on watching his guardian at the counter.

Words were exchanged between the two of them, and David held out a hand to gesture Max over.

"Come on, kiddo, let's go home,"

Max cringed at the word, reminded of the scathing, hateful tone of Vetroups.

" _Try to fit both this time, okay kiddo?"_

With a wrinkled nose and unhappy expression, Max mumbled,"Don't call me that," While he gathered his things.

"Is something up?"

"Nope,"

To his surprise, yet again, David made no further comment about his sudden dislike of the word. Anxiety crept up his throat; did he know about what happened? Was he mad? He was never this quiet; maybe he was pissed he had to drive and come pick him up. It was only like ten minutes, but it was still annoying to have to drive around so much. Nervous about David's unspoken thoughts, Max found himself delaying leaving the office. He took his time getting his bag and his markers, but eventually he had to leave and walk out into the chill air.

Instead of the shouting he had expected, David led them both to the car and got in quietly. That only bothered Max further, but he got in the car anyways. The carolla rumbled to life, and David pulled out of the lot and onto the main road. Once again, without speaking a word.

After a while, it was too much for Max. They'd been in the car five minutes, but it felt like an hour with the deafening quiet. At the risk of starting an argument, he spoke.

"...You didn't have to pick me up,"

David seemed to snap away from his own thoughts, glancing down at Max briefly as though to confirm it was him talking,"Hm? What- no, kid- _buddy_ … I'm not mad,"

Max hesitated; the stammering could be considered normal in some situations, and even though this wasn't one of them, it let Max know David was worried about something other than coming to pick him up, which was a relief,"I didn't say you were…"

David frowned,"You didn't? Oh."

Wanting to know what had spooked him so bad, Max asked,"Is something up, dude?"

"No. Everything's fine, Max,"

It was a lie, something _had_ to be bugging him to make him act so jumpy,"Then what is wrong with you?"

David shook his head and tripped over the words a bit,"I… I'll… let you know when I figure it out,"

The car pulled into the drive and the engine cut, and David climbed out of the car. Picking up his bag, Max followed, a bit frustrated with the avoidance.

"What the fuck kind of answer is that?"

David visibly stiffened,"Language, Max," His tone was warning, and unpleasant.

Considering his current mood, Max elected not to push it,"Sorry,"

"Thank you," David fumbled with the keys as he acknowledged the apology as gracefully as he could manage.

As soon as Max stepped inside, he saw the lump on the couch.

"Gwen's sleeping right now, but I'll wake her before I leave for work," David explained quietly.

"Why is she _here_?" Max asked, quiet even though he was annoyed.

"She's going to watch you while I'm gone," David explained, shrugging his jacket off his shoulders and laying his keys gently on the counter.

Max glared,"Why? I'm ten, and you know I can handle myself,"

"That's beside the point," David said, willing himself to find patience as he heard the beginning of a fit brewing,"I want her here, just in case something happens,"

Max wouldn't drop the issue,"Like what? I'm just gonna watch TV, send her home,"

David stopped next to the open window of the kitchen, leaning a hand against the cool bar and lifting his hand to his face. He bit down on his knuckle, counting in his head all the way up to ten before letting a slow breath pass his lips. Patience, patience. He finally turned and stalked to few steps from where he stood back to where Max was, kneeling in front of him.

Max initially leaned away from him, but David gripped his arm and kept him still as he began pulling his bag off of his shoulders to hang up,"You can watch TV, or sit in your room, or stare at the wall, I don't really care what you do," Full of surprises for Max today, the boy stared on as David continued while untying his shoes,"But Gwen will be here, she will watch you, and you will _behave_ while I'm gone. Put your hand on my shoulder."

The command was met with partially dumbfounded compliance, Max put his hand on the broad shoulder and stepped out of his shoes.

"And considering you wanted to ' _throw up_ ' less than an hour ago, I would think you could care a little less about who is here as long as you're home, hm?" He fixed Max with a less than happy look and stood, placing the boy's shoes by the door and hanging up his backpack.

He turned around and, hands on his hips, continued his quiet lecture,"I'm lenient. I know that, I know I'm very gentle around you because of a lot of reasons neither of us want to list," Max lowered his gaze at the reminder,"And even if you're lying about being nervous or sick, I don't care today. Because you just moved into a new place, and we dealt with a lot over the weekend, and whether or not you're aware of the stress of all of that, it is there somewhere and we can talk if you want when I get home,"

He paused to take a steadying breath,"Next time you try to trick me into coming home, I will not be happy. Do you understand me, Max?"

Quietly, Max muttered,"Yes,"

"Good," David ran a hand through his hair,"Thank you. I'm not having a very good day myself, and I hope we can talk when I get home, okay?"

Max thought about the offer for a second, twisting the tip of his toe into the carpet,"...Okay,"

David smiled briefly,"Thank you. Now, let's go upstairs so we don't wake up Gwen, yeah?"

Max nodded, and turned to walk up to the second floor. David quickened his steps until he was behind Max, reaching around to poke his fingers into Max's sides.

"C'mon, up, up, up," He chanted quietly, a smile on his face.

Max yelped as he was tickled, smacking his hands away and racing up the stairs while David chuckled behind him. Max turned at the top of the stairs, lips pressed into a thin line as he tried not to smile. David gave him a smile, but it was a little weary as he approached the top of the stairs. Max thought for a moment as he passed by, hands slowly returning to his pockets.

"Hey, David?"

David turned, resting a hand on the handrail,"What's up?"

Taking a few steps forward, Max pulled the folded up, wrinkled paper out of his pocket and lifted it, offering it to David. He had a confused expression on his face, but accepted the little paper anyways. Max couldn't bring himself to watch while he opened it, already feeling uncomfortably sentimental while his face was painted with a blush.

Because he wasn't watching David's face, he was taken by surprise when the man stooped down and scooped him up in a hug. Max gasped slightly, just because of the surprise, while David held him close. The counsellor's head drooped, and he pulled in a deep breath to compose himself. Unsure of how David was acting-or feeling, for that matter-, Max lifted his arms in a tentative return of the embrace.

"Thank you, Max," His voice was quiet against Max's hoody,"It's beautiful,"

Rolling his eyes, Max felt his face burning all over again,"Yeah, okay…"

David loosened his grip a little, leaning down to set Max on his feet again. When he straightened up, his hand lifted to wipe at his face and he chuckled.

"Sorry for being so sappy, it's been a long day," He murmured, smiling.

"It's not even noon, David," Max did his best at keeping his tetchy tone.

David laughed again,"Exactly my point," His laughter tapered off as he looked at the paper again,"Alright… well I should… I gotta get ready for work... _Jimmeny_ ,"

He ruffled Max's hair and chuckled again before turning to go to his bedroom to change. Max watched him leave and fixed his hair, chewing at his lower lip. Well, at least he was in a little bit better of a mood. He was kind of an ass earlier, so some of the guilt lifted away from his stomach after the interaction


	17. Chapter 17

When Gwen began to wake up, a headache at the base of her skull throbbed to life. She pulled the blanket on her shoulder further up over her face, groaning uncomfortably. Slowly, her senses started to fill in the blanks of memories. She knew the smell of the blanket, it was that vanilla febreze David always sprayed on the cushions, which meant she had to be at David's house. The last thing she remembered was being at camp with two bottles of Ravenswood, so how the hell did she get here?

"Ibuprofen is on the table,"

Max? Oh, right. The little shit head lived with David now. Gwen swallowed hard, grimacing as thoughts moved around in her head.

"Max," She said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Could you turn the lights down, please?" She requested weakly.

There was shuffling, and David's armchair creaked,"There,"

Cautious, Gwen eased the blanket away from her face. The Tv was on, lighting the room, but the living room lights were turned off. Headache reducing already, she sighed in relief.

"Could you go get Davey?" She mumbled, reaching sloppily for the bottle of pills.

"He's at work." Max climbed back into his chair

Gwen narrowed her eyes, then squeezed them shut as the simple action made her head ache all over again. He hand, fumbling for the pill bottle, grabbed a sheet of paper off the coffee table. Tilting it in her hands so the TV light would shine on it, she read it.

 _Max is home because the first day was too much to handle, I had to go to work. Just lay on the couch and drink some water, as long as you're with him I know he's safe. I'll be back around 3._

 _~David_

Gwen set the paper back on the table and blinked a few times; water did sound great right now. She heaved a sigh and pushed the throw blanket off her chest clumsily, easing herself up to a sitting position. On the far side of the table, pointedly out of reach of her careless groping around, was a glass of water. She smiled slightly; he knew her way too well.

After downing the cup of water and two ibuprofen, she sunk back on the couch and closed her eyes. It was weird to be in the presence of someone she'd only ever seen at camp. Threw her sense of time off, since seeing him usually meant it was summer. Despite the usual familiarity of his presence being displaced, he actually looked comfortable where he was. Like he fit into the little picture of David's house. He was curled up in the armchair, texting someone, and watching TV. Past him, Gwen could see his little backpack hung up at the door, shoes untied and left next to the entryway. The little things made the whole scene come together in a way, like Max had always been there. She shook off the thoughts, climbing to her feet so she could get something to eat.

Peering at the clock on the oven, she noted it was almost one. Only an hour til Davey got home, she could handle that. Max was a pretty good kid as far as she knew, why not?

"Do uh…" She paused as she called out to him,"You want something to eat?"

"Nope,"

Well, that's that. She continued into the kitchen and winced as the cold tile shocked her bare feet. Davey had to have something in here to eat. She would grab a bowl of cereal, but David only ever had honey nut cheerios on hand, and she wasn't in the mood for it today. Walking to the fridge, Gwen winced as the bright light shone in her eyes after opening it. Christ, what had _happened_? How much did she drink?

The day after getting to the camp was hazy. She recalled David being there at some point, but couldn't quite make out the entirety of the visit. Another shake of her head, and she peered into the fridge. On top of what she knew to be David's favorite container was a note that read ' _Oreo Truffles_ '. She grabbed it and gave a roll of her eyes at David's slightly annoying habit of predicting her actions. Regardless, she plucked a few sweets from the container. Leaning on the kitchen's window bar, she watched the TV as she snacked.

It was some crime show Max was watching. Kind of weird, but at least it wasn't Teen Titans Go or something. They ran around yelling something about a bomb, guns waving around. Macho guy, cute blonde girls, the whole deal of any typical crime show. Still, Gwen was too tired to bother looking for her phone and decided to just remain where she was and eat the delicious chocolate treats.

After watching for a few minutes, the bomb previously mentioned apparently went off. The cute blonde stood and watched while Macho Man dove on her, throwing them both behind a car. The scene showed the factory up in flames, then panned down to the guy leaning over the girl, both breathing heavy. Nothing abnormal, until the memory from earlier finally clicked in Gwen's head.

 _David?_

Gasping, Gwen jumped back from the counter. Her movement knocked the lid of the container off the counter, sending it toppling to the ground where it broke down the middle with a loud clatter. Max jerked up from his position on the chair, leaning over the back to look into the kitchen and see what was going on. Gwen had her hands clapped over her mouth, eyes wide.

"Sonofa bitch," She hissed, fingers moving from her mouth to her hair," _Fuck_ ,"

A touch stunned by the suddenness of her freakout, Max said nothing.

Gwen glanced down at the broken lid and picked up both halves, setting them on the counter before carefully hurrying out of the kitchen.

"Hey, I- I have to go," She mumbled to the kid,"David's gonna be back in like an hour, I have something to do,"

Max stayed quiet, but crept out of the chair towards the kitchen while Gwen rummaged around the couch for her phone and coat. She found her phone hidden between the cushions and pushed it into her pockets, and Saw her jacket laying on the barstool. She rushed over, startling Max in the meantime. The boy sidestepped quickly out of the way, a pre-emptive grimace on his face as he watched her rush forward. Nothing happened, and he watched her pull the coat on, grab her shoes, and walk out the door.

Other than the hum of the fridge and the TV, quiet fell over the house again. Max blinked a few times, hearing the faintest creak of the stairs as Gwen ran off to who knows where. He was alone in the house. He forgot about the broken item for a second and walked briskly to the door, locking both the deadbolt and the handle. The locks helped his creeping worry, but it didn't sate it entirely.

He flipped the lights on again, making the room appear less eerie, and made his way back to the kitchen to check on what broke. Up on tiptoes, he saw David's dish gleam on the counter, and the shattered lid laying beside it. He bit his lip and tugged the two pieces down, trying to fit them together carefully. Luckily, the lid handle hadn't broken, making for an easy fix. All he had to do was find glue.

* * *

When David finally got home after an excessively trying shift, he was a bit surprised to find that the door was locked. Despite this, he pulled out his keys while simultaneously knocking on the door.

"Max?" He hummed,"Gwen? I'm home!"

As he freed his keys from his pocket, an incoherent voice reached his ears.

"Max?" He strained to listen,"What was that?"

" _Who is it?"_ It was definitely Max's voice, at least.

Confused, David jiggled the doorknob,"Max? Where's Gwen? It's David!"

" _Gwen is… here,"_

David shook his head and stuck his key in the lock, getting a little anxious about the whole thing,"Max, budge out of the way, I'm gonna come in,"

The silence from the other side of the door only made David hurry to unlock the door even more. He undid the deadbolt, but the handle refused to move so he had to unlock that too. Finally, the handle moved and the door pushed open. The living room light was on, as was the TV. Scattered on the table was the contents of Max's bag, paper towels, scissors. What concerned David was the crumpled paper towel on the floor; stained with red.

The blood drained from his face,"Oh, dear g… _Max!_ Max, where are you?"

He didn't even close the door as he rushed into the room. As soon as he turned the corner into the kitchen, he saw Max sitting in the corner, on the floor. His expression was wide-eyed and panicked, and as David came into view, he calmed greatly. David saw a paper towel clutched in his right hand, and dark stains on his jeans. He hurried to the boy, gentle hands touching his arm and pulling it forward into his view.

"Oh, god, Max- what happened?" He asked, cautious to squeeze his wrist as he gingerly lifted the paper towel; beneath it was a dry cut, but it looked gruesome with the smears of blood and the deepness of it.

"I- the- your dish thing," Max managed to speak up,"Gwen knocked it off the counter, I tried to fix it and my hand slipped holding it together."

"Okay, okay, just let me see it," David thanked whoever was up there for the fact that he hadn't cut himself on something dirty or rusty.

The cut stretched from just below his index finger to the opposite edge of the bottom of his palm. Pressing near it as gently as he could, David checked to see if it would start bleeding again. It appeared as though it wouldn't, even after David moved his hand around a bit to double check, so David allowed himself a breath of relief.

"Where's Gwen?" He asked next, picking up the bloodied towel to toss it away and replace it with a real bandage.

"Uh, she left," Max replied.

David's head whipped around,"Wh- she- _when_?"

Max shifted,"Few hours ago…"

David stared at the boy, shocked. She just… _left_? Just abandoned a ten year old for over an hour. He pressed two fingers against his lips, looking around as he struggled to count.

1… right, _one job_ for her to do and she couldn't manage it!

2… two bottles of wine, why would David ever even trust her to watch him after that?

3… three _hours_ by himself, he could have cut himself so much worse and then what?

4… four red-soaked paper towels in the trash

5… just about the amount of stitches he'd need if the cut actually opened again

David was only working himself up more, anger and stunned dejection in a tangled brawl within his chest. How… how _dare_ she do that? To leave his little camper alone, to let him get _hurt_? Very rarely did David ever get to the emotion even close to rage, but it suddenly didn't seem so far fetched.

Then, the voice that broke him out of it.

"Are you mad?"

Softly spoken, tentative. David turned his eyes back towards the boy on the floor, who shifted his sock-clad feet against the tile.

"You were at work, I…" Max stared at the floor, brow furrowing as if angry.

David squashed the heat in his chest in favor of reassuring his boy,"No, no no no, Max, I'm not mad at you," he crossed the room to get to his side and sit on his knees in front of him,"I'm not angry with you kid- k- uh, Max," Davey tripped over his words for a moment, but tried his best to prove himself.

Max glanced up at his face for a brief few seconds, and David knew those eyes were looking hard for any chance he might be lying.

Finally,"...Okay,"

David smiled a bit, feeling the tiniest bit better about the situation,"Okay, c'mere-"

He leaned in for a hug, but Max scoot back against the counter with a verbal," _No_ ,"

He recoiled his gesture quickly, but once again was a little shocked. He shouldn't have been, he knew it would happen sometime; Max was still healing and growing, there would be steps taken backwards sometimes. Though, David hadn't expected it even so. They'd been doing so well, getting so far. As soon as Gwen came into the picture, things went straight down the drain.

Despite his shock, David hid the hurt and leaned back a bit to give him space,"Okay, that's fine- sorry buddy," He offered a smile,"Let's go take care of your hand, yeah?"

Max nodded and got to his feet, holding his right hand close to his chest. David followed him, keeping his hands to himself and his mouth shut. He was still trying to shake his earlier feelings, but it was hard to get over when he was dealing with the repercussions of why he had been so mad in the first place.

David pointed over to the toilet,"Sit on the lid, I'll get some stuff," He directed softly, fighting his urge to nudge him in a casual, guiding touch.

Max did as he was asked, stepping over to the spot in the room and sitting up on the lid.

David knelt at the cabinet doors beneath the sink, blindly grabbing the items he knew he'd need- gauze, antibiotic ointment, the fabric wrap. For those few moments, he felt disconnected from the room. This time, his adventure in his own realm was one he did not enjoy.

Finally gathering the things needed, he returned to Max's side on the toilet, kneeling in front of him.

"Let me see your hand, buddy," He coached gently, delicately pulling his wrist closer to softly wipe away the drying blood, before he unscrewed the lid of the tube of ointment.

He pushed the tip of the tube to the gauze pad in his hand, running it in zig-zagged waves along the area,"For future reference, please don't mess with glass or sharp things while I'm not home," David reminded in a tentatively worried voice.

"I thought you'd be mad," Max replied coolly, partially uninterested in the medicinal care taking place.

"Mad?" David echoed,"No, Max, why would I be mad?"

As Max shook his head and gave a shrug of his shoulders. David continued his process of coating the gauze with the white gel, thinking quietly.

"I mean, outside of the fact that you were home alone for more than an hour," David mumbled,"Or, the fact that I got a text from neither of you,"

Max shifted slightly, sensing an argument,"I figured you were at work-"

" _No_ ," David lifted his head and met Max's eyes with a fierce gaze," _No_ , you are my _first priority,_ Max. Do you understand that?"

Startled by the demanding tone, Max gave a quick jerk of his head.

"If this _ever_ happens again, I want a call or a text _immediately_ ," David continued,"If something is wrong, if you're hurt, if you're scared, you _call me_. I don't care where I'm at or what I'm doing, Max. You tell me, I will decide how to respond. Am I clear on that?"

Another stiff nod from the boy.

"You are, and will always be, priority one," David's voice took a tone of finality,"Don't let _anyone_ convince you otherwise,"

A few beats followed where David held his gaze, silence swirling dangerously in the room. Nothing else was said, and David moved his eyes down to is hands again. He pulled the boy's wrist forward once more and flipped the cloth over onto Max's palm. A small flinch from him, but nothing else. David assumed it was due to the chill of the gel, and went about his care taking, wrapping the cloth around the back of Max's hand and across the the gauze pad a few times. He made sure it was tight enough that it wouldn't fall off, but not enough that it squeezed too hard on the wound. Tying it off behind Max's knuckles, David stood up once again.

After sliding off the lid, Max walked to the door, slowly flexing his hand,"Thanks,"

"Does it hurt at all?" David asked,"I could get you some ibuprofen-"

"Already took some," Max replied passively, walking out of the room.

With a huff, David lifted the remaining wrappers and supplies and returned them to either the trash or the cabinet. Cleaned up and light shut off, he returned to the living room. Once there, he heaved a second sigh. Max's bag was still dumped out on the table and floor, paper towels littered everywhere and his dish was split in two pieces, dried strings of elmer's glue linking the halves limply. On the tattered edge, deep red drops had cascaded along the ceramic item and dried. David shut his eyes at the sight, feeling rather sick to his stomach. Clamping down on the worrisome thoughts, the counsellor moved into the room and began picking up the pieces from the day. A list began in his head, things to do.

First, he'd clean up. Organize Max's bag again, get it hung up by the door for him. Throw away his dish, stained with a dark memory, and transfer the oreo snacks into another container. Paper towels discarded into the trash, the drops of blood on the kitchen floor wiped up. More than once David gnashed his teeth together to keep tears back while he wiped away each crimson drop. After finally getting through it, he tossed the rag in the trash too. He wanted any memory of the day gone. He could think about it later, when he was able to do something about Gwen, but for now he needed his head on straight. His hands were red after scrubbing them clean so roughly.

Second, he needed to start dinner. He didn't have much, but there was a package of smoked sausage in the freezer and a box of pre-seasoned jambalaya in the cabinet. Tossing a can of corn into the pot with the slowly cooking rice, he stirred occasionally and looked out the window above the kitchen sink. Bread and butter, a dollop of sour cream to top off both bowls, and he called Max from his room to eat.

Third, was to eat. It was an early dinner, it was only four, but David hoped to sit down for some time before he had to shoo Max to bed. With the hateful mix of worry, anger, and the fretful sight of seeing the blood from Max's hand everywhere, David didn't eat much.

It was only after he chided Max to put his bowl into the sink instead of the counter that he realized that they had just had their dinner meal together, and not a word had been spoken. It wasn't pleasant, from the fuzzy bits David was aware of between his thoughtful trance, and that fact only added to his saddened state. Once again, Max returned up to his bedroom with his phone and David stared down at the rice and sausage in his bowl. Leftovers put away, bowls scraped, dishes done. David sank onto the sofa and dropped his head in his hands.

It was five hours, that's all. Five hours, David asked Gwen to just _be_ _here_. No cooking, or cleaning, or really even talking to Max. She just had to sit still and watch TV and take her pain meds to get over her drunken mess. And _still_ , even with all that lenience, she managed to disappoint him and his expectations. His best friend in the whole world, just left Max to cut himself up on a self-imposed project. A few millimeters deeper, Max could have bled out. If David had been gone even an hour more, he probably would have tried to fix it again and gotten it infected. So many what ifs, David could feel his hands begin to shake. If… _If_ … he had lost Max…

David's hitched breath cut away to a quiet, gulping sob. His fingers left his hair, palms clapped across his mouth. His shoulders heaved, and he leant forward towards his knees. An overreaction maybe, all of his teary-eyed blubbering over things that hadn't happened. But after this day, after that kiss, after… after _thinking_ about Gwen all day in some new way; it just ripped away at David's heart.

He thought, as he wiped off counters, what if? What if they decided to date, what would happen? He imagined a lovely scene- the flowers, his best shirt and slacks, nervous laughing over inside jokes. The days spent at home, imagining Max interacting in little ways with a new addition to the house. He had these scenarios swirling in his head, and even now he could see them so clearly. But the figure was muddled. The space he had previously filled with Gwen was now blurred and empty. Just thin air. Someone was there, but it wasn't Gwen. Just _someone_.

He'd been so willingly open, so trusting and hopeful. The fact that she would do this shoved any thought of a relationship from his mind. At this point, he wondered even if he could speak to her. He was furious, shaking, and still so deeply distraught. Hell, he hadn't even managed to take off his uniform from work. He didn't mind much, an apron wasn't particularly restricting, but still.

He let himself feel for a little while, before inevitably reigning it all in and composing himself. Not long after, Max came down to turn on his show again. The company was nice, and eventually David had studied the curls on his head long enough that he felt able to stand without sinking. He stood and went to his room to change at nearly 5.

Shaky digits reached behind himself to untie the strings of the apron. It went limp around his neck, and he lifted it away from his chest and hung it up on the bedpost. Next, he peeled off the sweaty shirt, dropping it into the laundry hamper in the corner of the room. Feeling the cool air against his tight chest, he pulled in a breath.

"Hey, Max?" He called, opening the cracked door a little wider.

" _What_?"

"Are you gonna be okay if I get in the shower?" David returned.

" _Yeah_!"

David hummed and shut the door to his bedroom. His belt jangled, metal tapping against metal, and felt with a muted _ting_ onto his mattress as he tossed it jeans on his hips, he padded towards the adjoined bathroom and turned on the hot water. The chilly water sprayed from the shower head onto the tile floor. While waiting for it to heat up, David stripped the remaining part of his uniform off. Finally, he stepped into the shower stream and eased the glass door closed. Warm water washed over sore shoulders and he sighed quietly.

The shower lasted longer than he had expected, actually. When he finally relinquished the warmth of the water, it was five thirty, twice the length of his usual shower time. He changed into pjs and lay on his bed for a while. That while turned into a dozing, steady 5-hour nap.

As he returned to the land of the living, he jumped off the bed as he realized he had been sleeping. The wall clock next to his door showed the time '10:56', he sped out into the hall.

Clamoring down to the first floor, he saw Max in the arm chair, staring at him in wide-eyed confusion. The TV was still on, but the lights were shut off, leaving the room dark. Huffing a relieved breath to see he was safe, David's expression turned stern.

"Max-... Max…" David shook his head, hearing the lack of bite in his tone because he had no middle or last name to scold with,"It is eleven at night! You have school in the morning!"

Max glanced at the tv, then back to David,"...So?"

"So-" David sputtered a moment, gave another jerk of his head and pointed a finger back at the stairs with a hand on his hip,"So you march your butt upstairs and go to bed! You need _sleep_!"

Max rolled his eyes, picking up his phone and sliding off the chair,"Jesus, it's not that critical, David,"

Crossing his arms, David frowned,"I'd watch it, mister! I _can_ still take your phone,"

Max scowled, but regardless tucked his device into his pocket protectively as he passed the man to go upstairs to his room.

Running a hand through his hair, David turned and added," _Brush your teeth, please!_ "

No reply from the boy, and David took another patient breath as he picked up after the little camper. Washed the plate left from a midnight snack, turned off the TV, locked the door. After another half hour, David finally was able to retire upstairs.

He walked up to a lit hallway, and saw Max's door cracked open. David stepped quietly to his door and shut it, then switched the hallway light off and went back to his room for a good night's sleep.

What a day.

* * *

Max awoke to a sharp ringing from across the room, his startling dream dripping away to the darkness of his bedroom. Panic, once more, seized his chest. His palm throbbed was his heart rate picked up. Pitch black again, and his phone was across the room, alarm ringing. Glancing towards it, he tried hard to steel his nerves so he could race over and snatch it up from the dresser. Before he managed to, his door swung open, revealing the light from the hallway.

"Max," David prompted softly,"You awake, buddy?"

Relief at the flooding of light washing over his room, Max replied roughly,"Yeah,"

"I'm making breakfast, hurry down!" He chirped.

Hurrying to get out of bed before the light vanished from his room, Max threw the covers off and waited until the second David clicked the door shut to hastily run across and smack the lightswitch on. Now in the lit-up room, Max got ready to go to class, careful off his bandaged, achy hand.

Down on the first floor, David had brought the bandaging kit from the bathroom out to the coffee table to redress Max's hand before he went off to school. He had oatmeal simmering on the stove, cut up raspberries and brown sugar on the table to put on top. He was just dishing into bowls when he heard the TV turn on in the living room.

Busy with placing bowls on the table, David called a warning,"Max, come eat,"

Annoyed, Max groaned and shuffled into the kitchen, turning his phone on as he sat in one of the chairs. David slid the bowl in front of him and went back to the stove to clean up before he sat down.

Max dipped his spoon into the mixture, lifted it, and watched it dribble off the metal lip and back into the bowl,"What is this?"

"Oatmeal," David hummed, turning to glance over his shoulder,"Why?"

Max's nose was twisted,"It looks like shit,"

David's shoulders slumped slightly,"Max, language," He filled the pot with hot water and shut off the tap,"I didn't know you didn't like oatmeal?"

Max pushed the bowl aside,"You didn't ask," He mumbled,"Can I go?"

David frowned,"If you eat a few bites of breakfast you can go,"

Max rolled his eyes and leaned over the table, shovelling two spoonfuls of the bowl into his mouth. He scoot his chair back and climbed down, walking out to the living room. Sulking a bit at the rejection, David sighed and picked up Max's bowl. He should get his bandage switched out anyways.

Max didn't way much while he changed out the gauze and rewrapped his hand. The same quiet continued in the car, and after David dropped him off at school. The counsellor wished him a good day, but it fell on deaf ears. David felt very much like crying after watching him leave. He was so… _cold_ since the night before. He wondered if it was his fault, for thinking Gwen could be trusted. For leaving to work even when he was upset. He drove towards Gwen's apartment, stewing in his own thoughts.

Despite his shaken state, David's steps did not slow as he approached the door to Gwen's apartment. The front step was cracked on the corner as always, Ivy creeping up the bricked outer appearance. It was an older building, and he used to see the little details of age and take in the beauty when he would visit, but now he was far too furious to avoid stepping on the grass and crossing over the weathered walls. He lifted a hand and knocked once, though it was tentative, like he had doubts about confronting her this way. Angry with his passive retreat, David pulled back his knuckles and rapped against the wood door loudly three times.

There was quiet for a few beats, and David's foot bounced against the concrete in a rhythmic, impatient tattoo. After not receiving a reply, he knocked harder, this time his voice accompanied the gesture.

" _Gwen!_ " He called, his impatience unmasked.

Another few beats, and as David moved to knock a third time, the lock slid and moved from inside. He dropped his hand, watching the door creep open. Behind it, Gwen had her robe held closed over flannel pj pants and fuzzy slippers. She pushed a quick, put-upon sigh, and crossed her arms.

Her voice was quiet"Look, David, can we just-"

David shook his head firmly and interrupted her," _No,_ no. No, I'm talking. My turn,"

A bit surprised by his insistence, Gwen stepped out of the way to let him inside. David edged into the living room, anxious and unsteady hands lifting to rub the back of his neck and then dropping to his sides once again. He turned to face her.

"I… what in the world would _ever_ possess you to do that?" David demanded angrily.

Gwen narrowed her eyes, shutting the door slowly as she watched his posture.

David pressed forward, looking everywhere at once and gesturing wildly,"I trusted you with that, Gwen! I thought we were good friends, I thought I could- I thought I could have that faith placed in you and not worry about it backfiring!" David struggled with the words he wanted to say for a moment,"I just… just… _why_?"

Gwen stared, lips parted in disbelief,"You trusted- You kissed me _back_!"

The words cut through David's anger for a moment,"I.. That is _not_ what this is about!"

"Why not?" Gwen demanded,"What the fuck else could it even _be_ about?"

"Max! You left him alone last night!" David retorted.

Rolling her eyes, Gwen shook her head,"Oh my god, that's _it_? _That's_ why you're yelling?"

David's blood was cold in his chest,"That's… _it_?"

"We _kissed_ , and you're worried I left a fucking ten year old by himself for maybe an hour?" Gwen huffed,"I'm sorry, but-"

David butt in again,"Max is at school with his hand nearly cut in half," He told her, furious.

Gwen's expression dropped the annoyance and took on a look of surprise,"Wait, what?"

David took careful steps towards her, insisting on making his point," _You_ left him alone, Gwen. _You_ , left a helpless ten year old with some unknown, deep-rooted issues. You broke my container and left it sitting out. He tried to fix it, to _make me happy_ , and sliced open his hand on the edge,"

Gwen's face paled partially,"I had no idea, David, I-"

" _No!_ " David barked, quieting her," _No_ , you don't get to act like that. I left him at home with you because after _everything_ , I trusted you more than anyone to take care of him,"

Silence from Gwen, as the reality sank in her stomach.

The sting of his eyes went unnoticed as David stared her down and spoke,"If he had been cut even a little bit farther, just a little bit _deeper_ , that could have been it." His voice was dark, unhesitating and angry,"So, _no_ , I don't think us kissing was more important. I think the fact that you would _dare_ insinuate I would consider that the case shows me just how little you think about anyone else,"

Gwen, still shaken, tried to defend herself,"I think about oth-"

"You _don't_!" David bellowed,"You left _knowing_ Max would be alone, without calling me or letting me know in any way!" David gestured to the door,"Max is at school right now with a bandage covering almost his _entire hand_! He's lucky he didn't need stitches,"

"He flinched away from me last night, Gwen. That's the first time he's ever done that since he came home, and I can't forget the fact that he did it right after I left him with _you_ ," David waited for her to say something, and shook his head,"I- I can't. I can't even look at you right now," He turned towards the door.

Gwen jumped then," _David,_ just talk to me!"

David spun and yanked his arm away from her outreaching hand,"Don't,"

Gwen sputtered as he continued to the door,"You can't just _leave_!"

David whipped back around,"Then what the _hell_ did you do last _night_?"

Gwen scowled,"That was different!"

"How is it different?" David demanded to know,"I'm walking out, you want me to stay. You walked out last night, I _needed_ you to stay. The only difference here is that I haven't hurt you,"

Gwen shook her head,"You have no idea if you hurt me! That kiss-"

"Meant _nothing_ ," David finished.

Gwen gaped,"You kissed me back!"

"Yeah, I also trusted you with Max," David grabbed the door handle and pulled it open,"I guess I made two mistakes yesterday,"

He disappeared outside, and the door shut behind him.


	18. Retract

Max's fingers felt icy as he dug through his bag to find the slip of paper. It wasn't signed, he knew it, but still he dug through. The vice principal stood by, sorting through papers in her hand, but as Max dawdled longer and longer, her attention turned further onto him.

After a very trying period with Veytroups, Max had finally met his secondary teacher for history and English. A nice lady names Ms. Rochette. When he had entered the room, Max was a bit taken aback by the drastic change in decor. Where V had straight lines, organized desks and plain walls, Ms. Roch had dozens of posters and drawings and letters from old students. She had a couch and beanbags pushed into a far corner of the room, and her entire demeanor was much more boisterous and open.

Max finally felt the folded up sheet and, as his fingertips brushed along the edge, he paused to think. Then, he drudged up fake tears, removing his hand from his bag.

"I forgot it at home, I swear I got it signed," He mumbled pitifully,"I can bring it in tomorrow?"

The Vice Principal narrowed her eyes at Max, and sighed,"Get it in tomorrow or you're gonna be in a lot more trouble, mister,"

Max nodded vigorously, sniffling as he zipped up his bag,"Okay, I will,"

With that, he was waved out of the office and Max headed towards the classroom again. He wiped his face on his sleeve, a grin turning the edges of his mouth up. He always loved a good con. While he initially intended to go back to his room, he realized there was only about ten minutes left of class. So, Max detoured down another hall into a boy's bathroom. Open a stall, close the lid and sit down. Max hefted his bag up onto his lap and crossed his arms over top of it. To his left, a little smiley face was drawn on the wall of the little stall. Max shifted his bag and dug around for a second time and grabbed a blue sharpie.

On the wall, he scribbled a couple of stars and lightning bolts, killing time until the bell finally cried for his release. The day had been much better than the one previous, at least. Veytroups said little to nothing, and his new teacher was at least nicer. His hand hurt still, the bandage was a little wobbly because of the days events, but things turned out okay. He could probably fix the bandaid when he got home, there wasn't much need to worry.

Once the bell finally rang, Max sprung off the seat and hurried out of the stall to the front lobby, and out the door. Kids swarmed outside to busses and parent pick ups, and Max found himself doing quite the same. He looked down the row of cars, searching for David's specific brand of transportation. Nothing could be seen, and Max stood up on tiptoes. Then, for a split second, he heard a laugh.

Dropped onto his heels again, Max spun round towards the noise. It was familiar, resonating deeply in his chest. Then, darkness.

" _What if you mixed… a mouse and a pig?"_

 _Max lay on his side, staring at the dimly lit face in front of him. This time, the eyes shone just as clearly as his features. The boy's face was in full view. He looked like he'd been crying, but a smile crept behind the sadness and washed it away. Max's question was whispered with a quiet laugh._

 _He grinned,"Good one, but consider Mrs. Velez mixed with a pig,"_

 _The name was that of their foster parents, which did in fact make Max smile._

" _Why does she need mixed? She already is a pig," Max snickered._

 _The boy laughed outright, turning his head to muffle it into his pillow. Max clapped his hands over his mouth, laughing deeply._

Sucked back to the day time hours, Max blinked, mouth hung agape in startled confusion. His shoes turned, staggering slightly on the sidewalk. No more laugh, but the memory jarred a feeling of exponential familiarity that rocked through him. That was the laugh. That was _him._ Why did he hear it? Where did it come from?

Max poked his head over the crowd of middle schoolers, searching for some resemblance of a face. Nothing popped up, nothing that felt familiar. Just the laugh, and then silence above the crowd's murmur.

"Max!"

Max turned quickly, hearing David's voice faintly. He saw the man in the car, window rolled down, a hand raised to wave at him. Max blinked, staring at him, then he turned away, searching again for another few moments. His feet shuffled forward towards the car, but he was deeply distracted.

"Max?" David's voice was clearer as he neared,"You okay?"

Max pulled at the door handle to open it,"Yeah...fine," Finally climbing into the car, Max settled down and held his bag on his lap.

"Buckle, buddy," David reminded him, tapping his finger against the wheel in time with the song beat as he waited.

Max, eyes still turned away and searching the area dismissively, mumbled in reply,"It's fine, just go,"

David frowned,"No, Max it's not okay. Buckle, ple-"

" _Oh my god_ ," Max shoved his bag onto the floor in an unprovoked rage, yanking the seatbelt down sharply and locking it,"Oh for _fucks sake_ ,"

David's unhappy gaze deepend,"Language, Max!"

Max forced the seatbelt into the lock angrily,"Just go!"

Slightly apprehensive of the boy's aggressive behaviour, David realized he had indeed buckled and decided to change the gear into drive. Pulling carefully out of the parkway and back into the main road, David bit his bottom lip. What he'd done to cause such an outburst he wasn't sure, but it was a good segway into a topic in desperate need of discussion.

David cleared his throat,"When we get home, I think we need to have a talk,"

Responding with a roll of his eyes, Max leaned against the window and sighed."Whatever,"

Brow knit together, David stammered,"Is there something that happened today, Kiddo?"

"I _told_ you not to call me that," Max bit out sharply.

"Oh-right, Im sorry," David shook his head,"But still, you seem upset,"

"I'm fine,"

"Max, you're not-"

"Jesus christ David do you _really_ want to do this right _now_?" Max interrupted hotly,"Who gives a shit what happened at school? I'm still going back, I'm still doing work, that's all that fucking matters,"

"That is not all that matters!" David argued,"I care about how you're feeling,"

"Well I _feel_ like I'm sick of your touchy feely _shit_ ,"

David, feeling himself like he might just start really shouting, clamped his jaw shut and stared at the road.

Max fixed him with another hate filled scowl before turning his eyes back out the window. Leaves were still dropping off of trees, scattering the sidewalk with the autumn air's natural litter. Max tried to watch them and ignore the rest of the car. He wondered quite seriously if rolling out onto the sidewalk would be as dangerous as he considered it being. Then, he remembered his seat belt, and the fact that David would notice if he reached to unbuckle it before he could jump out of the car. Max glared at the clear glass pane separating him from the outside. Stupid David. Stupid fucking seatbelt. Max wanted to scream.

Finally, a short drive later, David finally pulled beside the drive and parked the car. Max smashed the button down on the seat belt release and shoved open the car door.

"Max, stop!" David climbed out and shouted after him over top of the car roof.

Max ignored the command, continuing towards the house. In reply, David frowned and shut the door to the car, quickening his steps to catch up to the boy. Lucky for him, he had locked the door before leaving, meaning Max had no way in until he unlocked the door. Max realized this and slumped against the porch wall, dropping his bag unhappily to the wooden floor.

Pushing a breath out of his nose, David unlocked the front door. Predictably, Max pushed off the wall and tried to rush past the man to get inside. David stepped in front of him, making the boy stumble slightly. When he righted himself, he glared up at David angrily.

"What do you _want_?" Max seethed.

"I want to know why you're so upset!" David prompted.

"It's none of your fucking business." Max snapped, once against moving to shove past the man.

David moved to the side, keeping his camper from getting past. Over Max's head, he pushed the door shut with his right hand and caught a grip on the boy's arm with his left. Max immediately yanked, trying to tear away, but David dropped down and reached his right hand into Max's hoodie pocket, swiping his phone, and stood upright again. Bewildered and furious, Max tried to grab for it back.

"Give my fucking phone back!" He demanded.

"No," Was the firm reply.

"This isn't fucking funny, give it!" Max reached again, but couldn't swipe it away.

"I said _no_ , Max," David said sternly,"This isn't meant to be funny,"

"Then what's the _point_ ," Max insisted, still glaring,"Ha ha I'm fuckin' short, just give me my shit back."

David shook his head,"I'm not taking your phone just because I want to, Max. We need to talk, the only chance of you listening is if I have this,"

Angry once again that David had a point, Max balled his fists at his sides. Boiling blood running through his veins, he gave a smug grin.

"Fine," He bit out,"Then I don't need it,"

Mouth hung open slightly, David watched his little camper turn on his heel and stomp up the stairs to his bedroom. With a sigh, David tucked the phone away into his pocket. That hadn't gone the way he expected it to, but he still had the phone as leverage. If Max wanted to go without it, that was fine. It wouldn't take long for him to give it up and ask for it back. So, after collecting Max's bag from outside, David sat on the couch with a book and tried to forget how awful the day had been.

* * *

Max lay on his stomach, his arms crossed under his chin. Thoughts ran around in his head endlessly. He wanted to pass the laugh off as a coincidence and just leave it as that, but the flashback drove the idea home. How could someone from his past suddenly pop up again? If that was even the case, what were the chances? Max hadn't even remembered the kid existed until now, he wondered if he had forgotten Max the same way. After everything, probably. And besides all of that, what was he doing at a middle school? Max recalled him being at least three years older when they were in the Velez house, there was no way he could be enrolled there.

Even if, against all odds, he showed up at the school again, Max had no chance of finding out who it was. He would have to hear that laugh again, or see some of his face, _something_. If David hadn't distracted him in the car, he may have even gotten his chance.

Reminded of his new guardian, Max glared at his door. Why was he so fucking pushy today? It had been four hours and Max had refused to go down and see him, or ask for his phone. He'd just been in his room, thinking. He didn't _need_ his phone, it was just boring without it. He really wanted to go downstairs and watch TV, but he didn't want to deal with the obnoxious counsellor when he was in this mood. Despite the fact that no one else in the room, Max's eyes dropped away from the door, partially embarrassed at the prospect of being lectured again. With that thought came the memory of his breakdown earlier in the week. He groaned quietly into his folded arms.

Decidedly, Max told himself he was done with that shit with David. The creeping shame in his stomach was bad enough already, he didn't need anymore. He wasn't some scared five year old brat, he was nearly a teenager. He surely didn't need David's help or 'guidance'. Besides, anytime he tried helping David out, something had gone wrong. Walking to the end of the neighbourhood? He ended up yelled at and having a breakdown. Fixing the dish David loved? No go. Max was done helping. He had someone to find and god damn it he was going to find him. He was cutting ties with whatever it was that wanted to submit into naivety. It was time to start running the ship again.

Collecting a deep breath, Max pushed up onto his elbows and climbed off the bed. He needed food, his phone returned, and his band aid changed. Steeling himself to leave the room, Max flexed his fingers. Time to take charge.

David wiped his hands clean on the towel hanging off the oven door handle. He'd been cooking for a little while, prepping dinner and trying to calm himself down. The kitchen was clean, the food warm and laid out; Baked mac and cheese with steamed broccoli and home spice chicken breast. It was simple enough that Max ought to eat it without fuss, and David could still appreciate that it was generally healthy. David was just going upstairs to try and coax Max downstairs when he heard the stairs creak. The counsellor turned sharply, looking over the boy and trying to gauge what he was feeling.

Max made his way towards the kitchen, and David met him in the doorway. He intended to warn the young one against starting another fight about the phone, but Max spoke first.

"Sorry," he mumbled quietly,"I shouldn't have yelled,"

Surprised to see his remorse, David found himself a little startled and stammered,"O-oh? Er, well thank you Max," he gave a tiny shake of his head,"But I still have things I want to talk about before you get your phone back, okay?"

Inwardly, Max grimaced, but he nodded as pitifully as he could,"I know," He sighed.

Feeling a bit mean, David stepped out of the way and ushered Max towards a chair at the table,"First we can eat okay? Then we can talk,"

Max nodded and sat down. David scooped out some mac and cheese, then broccoli and a piece of chicken for both of them onto each plate. Trying to pace himself and make it look like he wasn't hungry, Max ate the mac and cheese slowly. He dragged each bite on longer than he wanted to, despite the fact that the gooey cheese was absolutely amazing on his tongue. Just as he expected, David urged him gently a few minutes later.

"Try and eat some broccoli too, please," He said.

This time, Max let fake discomfort show. He poked a piece and ate it. Despite the fact that he really didn't mind eating broccoli, the point was to show David he would do what was asked even if he 'didn't like it'. Based on the sympathetic smile he received from David afterwards, it seemed like it was working rather well.

Dinner finished, David cleaned up and sent Max to sit on the couch. The boy rolled his eyes, wondering why he insisted on being so formal and serious about stuff like this, but did as he was asked. When David had everything soaking in the sink, he came out to join Max. The boy had opted to sit in the armchair once again, rather than the couch.

"I know this probably should have been handled on day one, rather than almost a week later," David began,"But theres obviously a very real need for rules to be laid out; for both our sakes,"

Max said nothing, his act slipping slightly while he curiously waited for what David would say.

"My biggest rule is to be honest with me," David listed,"You know that. I want the truth when I ask something, even if you might get in trouble. If I find out you lied about something, whatever I may have done about it will be worse _because_ you lied. Okay?"

Another nod from the boy, his stomach stirring slightly another time,"Yea,"

David copied his nod,"Okay," he blew out a breath,"I need to know what's going on with you, Max," This made the boy's head raise uneasily,"I don't mean emotional things, even though I do want to know about that and I'm always going to listen. I mean where you are, what your plans are. Like when Gwen left, you should have texted me. I can't be upset with you about that, since we're only now laying out rules, but for future reference, right?"

A nod was received, and David pressed on,"Good, then. Those are my big ones, I think," He paused to consider his next words,"Just in general, try to clean up, okay? Keep your room straightened up a little?" Just the same response from Max,"Thank you. Then, onto school,"

Max bit back a groan of unhappiness, wanting to get his phone and leave by then, sick of the speech. But David had more to say, and as he had sworn just twenty minutes earlier, he needed to stick to whatever was expected at the moment.

"I don't know how well you usually do in school, but I'll be happy with C's for now, okay? Turn in your homework, I'll be happy to help if you need it down the line. Does that sound like something you can do?"

Max nodded,"I do fine in school,"

David smiled,"Good! Okay. Uh…" David searched for something else to say but nothing worth the speech was really worth mentioning,"I think that's all I had to say. But, do you want to talk about today?"

Max shook his head stiffly,"No,"

David looked reluctant, but shifted on the couch to pull Max's phone from his pocket,"That's fine. I said what I needed to, here's your phone kiddo." While Max reached for it, David was reminded of the cut on his hand,"How's it feeling?"

Max took his phone before glanced at his palm,"Fine. It's been closed all day,"

"Well let's change it, just in case." David hummed, standing up to go get the cloth to wrap up his palm.

Max stayed sat on the chair while David wrapped up his injured hand, keeping his phone held close in his pocket to avoid having it taken away again. There wasn't much talk after that, And Max gave a tired excuse to get up to his room faster. He stayed there for the night.


	19. Intermission

(Thank you guys for mentioning the error! Should be all fixed now!)

David's unease lingered. Even through a lack of trouble and fighting, he was worried. Max was always cooped up in his room. He came down to eat, then went right back up. David's request to change the bandage was met most often with an impatient scowl, and he rushed the process to let Max get away. His presence as nearly nonexistent, and David was too upset to challenge his reclusion.

He hadn't spoken to Gwen since they had fought. It had only been a few days, and David had never really felt so lonely at home. No messages from anyone but the money management at the camp, the threads of said money still hopelessly tangled. To distract from his slow days, he broke out crochet needles and started in on an old hobby of his. He was still upset with her, the way she had run out on Max. It had shattered a trust for David; if he couldn't believe that his best friend would stay and take care of Max, who else would? Some stranger? Certainly not. He had no way to leave him at home, which would become problematic if his work decided to schedule him for anything after when Max was let out of school. Luckily so far, he'd been brought in on early, busy shifts, and got home in time to get Max from school and be there in the evening.

It could have been dozens of things, really. Maybe David's laying out rules had been too harsh. Max hadn't said much during, maybe he should have asked more of Max's opinion? He could have still been reeling over getting cut up so bad, it probably wasn't a good memory. David ran through a list, ever continuing to develop, of things he may have done wrong. He was unwillingly submitted to these thoughts rather often lately. He set the beginning of the soft blue shade blanket on his lap, fiddling with the needles more than crocheting as he thought.

Upstairs, Max as sitting against the wall, his phone linked to the wall on charge. He was focused, and had been since he'd taken the upper hand in the house. Keep David at bay, and he had freedom to find out everything he needed online, really do some digging to find out who this guy was that kept haunting the black space behind his eyes. He'd been isolated, more or less, since Tuesday. It was now Friday, and he would be stuck at home for the weekend with David. It might be a little more tricky to avoid him, but he utilized the time he currently had.

Public records, adoption agencies, foster care foundations, anything he could possibly search up he dug into, looked through tirelessly. It was significantly harder to find people when you don't even know their name. It was also harder to read, because a single staggered crack ran across the length of his phone. It was a frustrating process, Max had ended up letting his anger get the better of him and ended up denting the drywall by chucking his phone. He slid his bed to the side, and pretended it hadn't happened.

He wanted to give up by Thursday, every search result popping up purple because he had gone through every single one. He reluctantly lessened his search instead, and he ended up on the website for the temporary home he'd been at with Celine. Scrolling through to see staff, and contact information. Chikae popped up. It went on to list his college experience, his previous jobs, and generally bragging about him as a staff member. Then, his work email at the bottom; Chikae_ToL_3367 . Max tapped the linked email, and wound up sending him an email. Innocent as he could muster, he asked if it would be okay to pay him a visit sometime because 'David has something to do up in town and is dragging me with him'. Send.

That got him into a building with quite a few resources. He could pester Chikae, maybe, or find Jen. Better yet, find an office to dig through stuff. They knew who the Velez people were, they had to keep tabs on who was in the home prior to them getting caught for child abuse. He'd wait for Chikae to reply and, in the meantime, find an excuse to get David two hours away. It wasn't direct information yet, but it was certainly a lead.

Feeling like he had finally gotten somewhere, Max set his phone down and shifted to lay on the carpet. Quiet fell over the room, heavier than he had previously noticed.

He couldn't hear much downstairs. There wasn't much of anything to do in his room, aside from sit on his phone. His eyes hurt, and he just needed a break. He wanted to go watch TV, or get something to snack on. He'd already eaten dinner, but it was getting close to eight by then and it wasFriday. He'd be up for a little while yet, but going downstairs would mean seeing David, and he would probably try and talk. Max didn't want to put up with that if he didn't have to, he could only keep up the sweetness act so long. He didn't want to talk, he didn't want to discuss things, he just wanted peace and quiet, and he already had quiet and his bedroom was peaceful.

Nice and quiet.

Really… really quiet.

The deafening sound of silence crossed over each ear in waves. He clicked his tongue, making sure he was still hearing properly, listening to the small sound battle the rumbling quiet for a few moments. It descended over him again, and Max swallowed hard. He turned his gaze up, to the off-white ceiling shade. In a few places, there were a couple dark spots. He peered at them to take his focus away. Not mold, he'd seen that. Bugs? Max dashed that thought, they sat too still and there were no legs. Not bugs. Probably just random fuck ups in the paint. Even so, he felt itchy all of a sudden.

Frustrated to be so bored and have his mind begin tricking him, Max sat up on the carpet, pulling his feet into a cross-legged position. He wrapped his hands over his ankles, doing a sort of rocking back and forth for a moment. He pushed his knees against the carpet, leaning on his palms still pressed over his ankles. His eyes wandered the room, looking round a little while, and then settled under the bed. He remembered David pulling him from hiding under the mattress, and the hide and seek game that had preceded it. A blank, uncertain stare at the barely lit carpet beneath the bed, then guilt settled over his stomach.

"Hey, David?"

"Hey! What's up, Max?" David sat up on the couch, thumbing the page on his book and setting it on his lap,

Max wandered in with a blank piece of notebook paper and two pens,"My teacher said we should work on our signatures," He said, carefully tying his usual tone into a more innocent, wondering lilt to keep David off suspicion,"I don't know what she meant,"

David smiled and shifted, fully setting his book aside onto the table, wanting to help,"Oh, sure, bud! Let me see," He held out a hand for the paper and pen, which Max offered.

He set the paper down on the table, and Max stopped listening, just watching him draw out his signature as planned. He scrawled it a few times, trying to explain whatever to Max. To oblige him, he scribbled his own half-assed signature a few times. Mumbled a thanks, and escaped to his room to forge the signature onto the slip from school.

It was clever of him, no doubt, but Max's typical pride in the manipulative trick was slightly diminished. He'd gotten what he needed, and kept David from dealing with him for a while. Who cares how he did it?

He continued to reassure himself, eyes drifting over the carpet to the open floor. He supposed he'd settled in since the adoption. Everything had been pretty normal so far, aside from David's mess with Gwen. He still hadn't been told what Gwen ran out about and, honestly, he didn't care. David was making a mess of his life and that was fine by Max, he couldn't care less. Well, he was curious, but that was different.

Out of his peripheral, he swore he saw something crawling under the bed. He sucked a sharp breath in and jolted to the side, but when he swung his head, he saw nothing. He scowled. His brain was playing tricks on him, leaving him uneasy. He stood up and hurried onto the mattress, glancing warily at the floor. Along the walls of the room and in a little pile on the floor, Max had sort of tossed his laundry so far. David was rarely up there, and he hadn't really cared enough to make one discerning pile. Amongst the laundry and the unsettled creeping sensation, Max felt less and less at peace in his room.

His instinct was to go find David, which bothered him. At almost eleven, he didn't need to run to David because of some random creepy stuff that didn't exist. He was fine. There wasn't anything wrong in the room, he didn't need David to save him. Fucking breathe, dumbass, there's nothing wrong.

Max repeated the angry reprimands, hateful towards himself for wanting David. He'd been adamantly avoiding him. To school, back home, eat dinner, and research until he passed out, then repeat. He'd been fine the whole week without contact aside from one or two word replies. Now, as worry seized him, he wanted nothing else. His heart had started pounding harder and harder, and eventually Max's desire to remain stoic was desperately outweighed by the deafening silence and the tight knot in his chest. He jumped off the bed like a shot, and made a run for the door.

He made it to the stairs before looking back, anxious fingers tucked firmly into his pocket. Staring a few moments, asserning he wasn't being followed, he carefully made his way down the steps. The quiet followed until he got to the turn, where it was sharply broken by a quiet sniffle. Max narrowed his eyes. Really, David?

Max settled down on the step, easing himself down while sitting to keep from making sound. He made it about halfway down, watching David carefully, when the man sighed softly and turned to the stairs for whatever reason. Eyes locked, Max stilled on the steps immediately.

David's breath caught in his chest, blinking a few times past his tears. He didn't move, like he was scared he would run Max off if he did. He just wanted Max to come sit with him, by that point, everything else was thrown out the door. He bit his lip, considering his options for a minute, and deciding to take the option that was least like him.

"You want some popcorn?" He asked, tears still running tracks on his face.

Max didn't let his expression change from curiously blank, but the offer was incredibly tempting. No lecture, no questions about why he was down there. No wondering why he hadn't been down, either. He was crying, but he didn't push for emotional things, at least not yet. Max considered the offer for a few moments, then nodded his head.

David mimicked his nod and set the yarn aside. He stood from the couch and wiped his eyes, turning to the kitchen to make popcorn like he promised. Max watched him go, hearing a few cabinets and a bit of shuffling before the microwave started humming. Max shifted slowly off the step, standing to take the last few steps into the living room. He got up onto the armchair, his usual spot, kicking the bottom of the chair out. He didn't put his feet up, curled into the main seat of the chair, but having the extended area made him feel more comfortable.

The quiet was replaced by the microwaves hum, the sound of running water. Max's chest had relaxed a bit. The room was well lit, no dark under the bed or dim corners to scare him. He was downstairs with someone else around, it was harder to panic when David was in the next room. He pulled his feet up closer on the couch, toes curling in his socks.

After a minute or so, the microwave clicked open and the rustling of the bag was audibly heard. A few moments later, the pad of Davids feet moved out of the kitchen and Max was presented with a big blue bowl of warm popcorn. Max took it and waited for David to turn before casting a glance up at him. David picked up the remote off the table and offered it to Max next, setting it down on the cushion beside Max. He returned to his seat on the couch, pulling his legs up to cross them on the cushion, his yarn folded into his lap once again. Max picked up the remote, shifting in his seat as he watched the man, clicking the TV on. If David wasn't going to ask, that was more than fine by Max. He munched on popcorn and watched TV.


	20. Still Here

Ice coated Max's throat. His face burned from the chilly wind, tears stinging behind his eyes. Celine was calling his name behind him, the shine from the open door highlighting the back of his hair and coating the boy in front of him in a tinged yellow light. Even through the bright haze, Max saw him. The green eyes, a fleck of brown touching the bottom left of his iris. His smile that accompanied his earlier laugh was no longer there, replaced by stunned silence, shock. He had very clearly never expected to see Max again. Max stared at him, emotions swimming across his face, unsure what to settle on.

After the last week and a half of searching, lying, and sneaking around to find him, there he was. So close after so many days of distanced fear and confusion. If the eyes somehow was a mistake, or the laugh that had drawn him to the door in the first place was some strange coincidence, Max could not mistake that flicker of fear on his face. He knew exactly who Max was. He knew what had been done.

 _~O~O~O~O~_

 _Eleven Days Prior_

 _~O~O~O~O~_

Saturday.

Max was stirred from sleep by the dimly lit figure of David standing above him, his hands gently shaking his shoulder.

"Hey, buddy," he smiled a bit, but worry kept the expression from reaching his eyes,"I just got called in for work, I need you to get up and get dressed for me,"

Max blinked, eyes bleary from sleep as he scowled and turned over in his bed, slow to stretch out his legs. He groaned.

"Why do I need to get dressed?" He complained

"I need you to go in with me," Was the offered explanation,"I can't leave you here by yourself."

"Yeah you can," Max grumbled,"You just don't want to,"

David sighed,"You're right. Please get up?"

Even when he wanted to argue, Max bit his tongue. He didn't need an argument right now, when he was meant to get up to the foster home to find files. He scowled at David but turned his face into the pillow and grumbled.

"Fine," he huffed passed the fabric,"Get out,"

David patted his back,"Thank you, buddy," He sounded tired, but a little less worried than before.

As he was making his way out, Max shot up and called after,"Turn the light on!"

David startled slightly and glanced back, silhouetted against the hallway light,"Oh, sure!"

He flipped the light on and Max winced at the brightness, but was happy to not be left in the dark as his door closed. He huffed another breath, unhappy he was cut short from sleep. Time to get up.

When he'd gotten dressed, normal jeans and his pair of red sneakers, he went ahead downstairs. He wasn't as tired as he had expected to be after staying up late. He'd grabbed his phone, charger, and backpack, not wanting to get bored while stuck at the place. Hell, where was he going? He knew David mentioned it… he couldn't remember much about where he worked aside from the fact that he wore an apron. The smell of eggs floated up to his nose to distract him, and his stomach growled hungrily. At least the guy could cook, the apron was put to good use.

Max got to the kitchen and climbed into a chair, where David brought over scrambled eggs with a bit of pepper, two pieces of toast, and some sliced bananas. He ruffled Max's hair and went about washing dishes, a piece of toast between his teeth that he was munching on in the meantime. Max ate, curiously watching him multitask.

He was in a thin white t-shirt at the moment, which was tucked into black slacks and a slim leather belt. He didn't look to be in a rush, but he was definitely not slow about cleaning up the kitchen. Max was still eating his toast when David stepped away from the sink and dried his hands. He continued to chew his piece of toast as he left the kitchen, heading up to his room. Max pulled his phone from his pocket and decided to download a few games to play. Best Fiends, Jetpack Joyride, Puzzle Mania. His storage was degraded quickly, but he would be entertained at least.

When David came back down, Max was just finishing the last couple bites of the sliced fruit. He was buttoning the top few notches in a dark grey dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Over his shoulder was the maroon shade of the apron he was meant to wear. He glanced at Max, and smiled cheerily.

"Everything okay?" He assured, and Max nodded with a mouthful of banana,"You want some water? Milk?" Max mumbled past the food something that sounded like milk, and David patted his shoulder as he went to the fridge to get both of them a glass.

Max took the offered cup and drank. David returned to his side after his own couple sips, taking his now empty plate to the sink for a wash. Max left his cup on the table and stood from the chair to go find his shoes and hoodie to wear out. David shook his head at the left mess, but was more than happy to wipe away crumbs from the table top and take the cup away to wash as well. When he'd finished and dried his hands, he walked out to the living room. Max came down from the stairs with a scowl on his face.

"What's wrong?" David frowned, pocketing his keys.

"My sweatshirt is gross," He complained.

It smelled after a week of being worn and running around in it. It was past due for a wash. Shoes on, David stepped forward and held out his hand for the item. Taking a whiff of the fabric, he grimaced.

"Yes, you're right," He sighed, folding it loosely and dropping it against the lounge chair,"You can't go out without a jacket… Here,"

He crossed over to the door again and picked up his jacket from the hook on the wall, offering it to Max. It was the same jacket that Max had very nearly lost at the foster home.

"It's huge," Max argued, holding up the leather bomber jacket in front of him.

David chuckled and knelt after he shifted the apron on his arm, taking the item from him and wrapping it over his shoulders.

Urging him to put his arms into the sleeves, he encouraged him,"It's cozy. You'll be warm while I'm working, and here," When Max slipped his hands as far as he could through the sleeves, fingertips just barely brushing the soft fabric cuff, David rolled the clothing up his wrist a bit so it could settle well on his arms,"There we go. Better?"

Max shrugged, feeling much smaller under the weight of the jacket. David zipped it for him, and it easily fell midway to his thighs. It was pretty warm, actually. Once again, the smell of campfire and rain rose to Max's face. He tucked his hands into the pockets of the jacket. David stood away with a smile.

"It's probably going to be boring today," David admitted, speaking over his shoulder as he went to the kitchen to turn off the light,"Sorry to have to bring you, but I don't have a choice," He did sound apologetic, and a touch tired beneath it all.

Wrapped in the warm jacket and his stomach full, Max had momentarily forgotten he was meant to be withdrawn,"It's fine," He answered, the headphones he'd gotten from his room wrapped around his phone and tucked into the pocket.

David smiled a bit at that, turning the living room light down as he opened the front door,"I'm off at four, though. We can go out somewhere for dinner, maybe?"

Max glanced at him, his glare only slightly pulling his brow together while his bag was slung over his shoulder,"With what money?"

A chuckle from the man,"With paycheck money," He opened the door and gestured for Max to step out ahead of him so he could lock it behind them,"Thank you for considering that, buddy, but I swear I'm doing better now. Let me worry about the money."

Max brushed the words off his shoulder, shoes squishing the slushy snow at the base of the porch steps as he made his way out to the car. Unlocking it from his few feet of distance behind, David approached the car while Max was climbing in, his bag sat on the floor between his feet.

"Are you in the mood for anything specific?" David wondered, pulling his seatbelt across his chest.

Max saw his movement and remembered to do just the same,"Whatever is fine with me,"

David took the hinting chill in Max's voice as a cue to hush up. It was early after all, about eight, and he was sure Max needed a bit more time to be conversational. He started the car and turned the radio up a bit, pulling away from the drive to get to the road and make his way to the cafe.

The cafe they arrived at was a decently sized place. The early morning crowd was already there, cars rounding the drive through in an uncaffeinated craze. The parking lot was more or less full, less busy than the alternative at least, and probably filled most of workers vehicles. David parked near a far corner, and stood from the car, apron in hand.

The front of the building was lined with evergreen bushes and a dusting of snow from the night before. Large windows framed with black edging were encased among blue-grey stone. Two tall trees settled on either side of the jut of the entrance, partially hiding the small, unused dining areas in the outside chill. David kept a hovering hand near Max's back as they crossed the busy row of cars to get up to the front door. They stepped beneath the sign- an elegant maroon color font to match his apron, outlined by a shade of black that read ' _Willow Cafe_ '.

Inside was a mildly long line, as well as a scattered handful of people sat at tables and booths. The tables were a light brown shade of glossed wood, supported by black legs and in two styles, a square for two chairs, and rectangles pressed near the booths and outlined on the opposite side by another two chairs. The booths were well kept, the same maroon shade on them and the bottom beam support was black. There were about ten tables total, and looking past them Max saw an area with deep grey armchairs and low centered coffee table, as well as a padded window ledge beside another ceiling to floor sized pane of glass.

"Sit wherever you want," David encouraged him, tying into his apron as he spoke,"I'll be just up front, if you need me, and I'll come over to say hi whenever I can, okay?"

Max nodded, shifting his bag on his shoulder,"Yeah I got it,"

"Thank you buddy," David praised, kneeling down to his level when he'd gotten the apron looped over his neck,"I promise we'll go out for whatever you like after my shift. I'll come sit and eat with you at lunch, too, how's that sound?"

Max glanced his way and shrugged,"Okay."

David didn't want to push his luck with a hug, regardless of his much he wanted one. He smiled at the boy and stood, ruffling his curls and sending him off to find somewhere to sit. He hesitated as he turned away, eyes glancing back to watch his curls move across the floor over to the little lounge area. He hovered by the front counter, seeing Max climb up onto the padded window ledge and settle against the corner. He glanced up and met David's eyes, then fixed him with an unamused, exasperated scowl. David smiled at him and headed round the counter to get clocked in.

The management position he'd been offered had actually turned out to be a supervisor's position. He was meant to do most things the cafe employees did, helping out wherever he was able, and keeping everyone on task. He was scheduled to be trained on recruiting and online workers schedules soon, but until then his boss was handling it and creating a work plan for each week. So far, it had been pretty good and there were no issues, and today would be just like any other.

About an hour into his new obsession with Best Fiends, Max was distracted abruptly by a woman approaching him. She was blonde, with wavy ringlets framing her face. An off-white name tag labelled her 'Mallory'. She knelt by his side, a hand on the cushion beside his leg so she could balance.

"Hey hun," She smiled,"I'm Mallory. David told me you'd be over here."

Max scanned over her, scrutinizing her soft smile,"Yeah. Here I am,"

The smile merely brightened,"Well I thought I'd come say hello, and ask if you wanted a chocolate chip muffin?"

"I don't have any cash," Max answered, his phone turned off and settled against his chest.

Mallory shook her head with a laugh,"No, on the house. Your dad's done great work for me so far, the least I can do is give you a snack while you wait here. How does that sound?"

Max hesitated still, watching her apprehensively. He was a bit hungry, he probably should have brought something to snack on. She didn't seem all that bad either, what could go wrong?

He shrugged lightly and shifted on the cushion,"Sure. Okay."

Mallory smiled and patted his knee before standing up. She returned a few minutes later with a muffin as promised, and a little bottle of apple juice. Max set his phone away into David's jacket pocket, taking the items into his lap.

"I'm gonna head back to the office," Mallory hummed,"It was nice to meet you, Max,"

Max nodded, not yet eating, simply watching her with searching eyes. She retreated back to her office, wherever it was. He picked off the cakey bits of the muffin as he went back to his game, and remained unbothered for another three hours.

By then, he had finished all but a few crumbs of the muffin, and his phone was plugged in while he scrolled through online stories. David was by his side then, his apron left tied around his waist and hung in half over his hips. In his hand was two bottles of water, plastic containers with little sandwiches inside, and a small bag of Sunchips. Max reached for one of the containers without thinking, hungry at the sight of the well made food.

David smiled at him and handed it over, taking the edge of the window seat when Max shifted upwards to really dig into food,"How's it been so far?"

Max shrugged,"Your boss came over," He unsnapped the lid of the container, lifting up the sandwich in both hands,"Gave me a muffin,"

David smiled, glancing back towards the counter,"Did she? Well that was nice. Did you say thank you?"

Mouth stuffed with a large bite, Max cast wary eyes towards David's shoes and mumbled,"No,"

A bit of a lesser smile then, but David was still happy nonetheless,"Well we can talk to her later. I'm glad it's been okay so far,"

Max nodded, tucking into his food as though he'd been starved for the day, his ankles crossed as they hung off the edge of the window ledge. David was hesitant to eat, taking a bit to drink his water instead. After Max was halfway done with food, he shifted to face him more.

"So, Max…" He started, pulling a preemptive glare from the boy because of his tone,"I didn't want to press into this but… Ms Rotes from the home really needs an answer."

Max's jaw stiffened, the process of chewing halted as he was reminded momentarily.

"You remember her, don't you?" David tilted his head, worry in his eyes.

Max continued his scowl as he finished the food he currently had mid-bite,"Yeah, I remember."

David gave him some time to think, noting his lessened enthusiasm for food. He felt quite the same right about then. He took another drink of water and considered his words, wanting to keep distanced enough that Max wasn't too swarmed with thoughts.

"You know," David pondered a moment, speaking quietly,"I don't really like my last name either."

Max said nothing, did nothing. David went on.

"My parents weren't very nice when I was growing up. They were greedy and mean and unkind to everyone. Mostly my dad, but still," He pursed his lips, thumb rubbing off the condensation of the water bottle,"I always wanted to change it as soon as I moved out, just to get rid of it, but it does get pretty expensive. If you want…" He turned to look down at the boy, who was picking crumbling pieces off of the bread in his hands,"We could have a whole new last name?"

Max considered the option silently. In all honesty, he had intended to just take David's name and get it over with. He'd completely forgotten about the deadline.

"What name?" Max asked, picking off pieces of his sandwich.

David tilted his head, a tentative smile gracing his expression,"Well.. We could come up with one together?"

Max thought it over for a minute, then his shoulders slightly shifted in a small shrug,"Yeah," He picked up his sandwich again,"Sure."

David smiled brightly,"Okay. We can talk when we get home,"

Max nodded, tucking into his food again as he mulled over the idea of a new name.

The drive home was met with strange conversation. They both just called out last name ideas, at David's suggestion. It was pretty fun, if Max had to be honest, especially when David came up with something wildly extravagant like 'Alifray' or 'Gittens'.

"Newbury?"

" _Oh_ , I like Newbury!"

"Fine with me."

Sunday.

Max had certainly done trickier things in his life than creating a fake email. It helped that there were open addresses similar to Chikae's real one. He had sent emails between 'Chikae' and David for most of the morning, telling him there was paperwork to be signed up in town, his phone was broken so don't text, etc. Max had a background for every question, and it wasn't long before David came up to his room and asked if he would like to go visit. Max agreed, as reluctantly as he could, sending David back downstairs. He relaxed back against the bed then, kicking the little sour flutter in his stomach and relishing in another plan well carried out.

Monday.

 **Celine: 8:34 am;** _Hey! Sorry I was gone so long, there's been a lot happening!_

 **Celine: 8:36 am;** _I'm at home finally! I'm going to a new school, Wakes. Everything has been great so far. How's David?_

Max stared at the messages. Wakes? _His_ school? There's no fucking way. He spared a wary glance up to Veytroups at the front of the room and replied.

 **Max: 8:39 am;** _Wakes? I'm in fifth at Wakes. Are you sure? The school with Blue and White colors?_

 **Celine: 8:40 am;** _Yes I'm sure! I'm in sixth!_

 **Celine: 8:40 am;** _Omfg I'm gonna fucking lose it are you serious right now?_

Max spends the next five minutes hiding his phone from Veytroups's eyes, sending messages back and forth with Celine. She really was at the school. Somehow, by some fantastic stroke of luck, she'd moved into the edge of town, between two other schools, and chosen the same school district as Max because her new older brother had gone there. Max wondered how he hadn't seen her thus far. As it turns out, when he was having lunch, she was outside playing at recess, and otherwise their classrooms were in entirely different wings of the building.

Max pocketed his phone away when Veytroups began making the rounds, feeling a touch giddy at the prospect of no longer being the odd one out at school. He would break free of the uniform line to lunch and go out to the mulchy playground to see her. Sneaking around was a skill of his and it would seem it was going to come in handy soon.

The paper he was handed by the wiry old bastard fell conveniently to the floor, and Max lifted his head to scowl at the man before leaning to pick up the half sheet. It was listing directions for some online grades portal. Max tucked it into his pocket and returned to his phone, anxiously counting away minutes until the bell would dismiss him for lunch. At eleven thirty, Max's feet hit the ground and raced him out the door towards the lunchroom and coinciding doors to the playground outside.

He slipped silently out to the chilly air, wind brushing over his face and sending a momentary shiver down his spine. He scanned the slowly filling area, hidden beside a wall in between a few bushes. He didn't need to be seen before he'd gotten to her, or he may be called out. Finally, she stepped out of the door, her phone in her hand and her eyes glancing around the yard. Max grinned, stepping forward as she neared his hiding place, waving her closer.

When she swallowed him in a tight, giggling hug, Max seized up. His eyes blacked away from the present moments She was happy, laughing, excited. Max was excited too, but found himself stuck in a brief state of shock. A few inches taller, Max had to crane his neck a bit upwards to settle his chin on her shoulder comfortably. Uneasy, slightly shaken, his hands were slow to wrap around her. When they finally did, Celine squeezed him a bit tighter, and Max sucked in a quiet breath. Her arms were over his shoulders, and he felt the constriction on the back of his neck. Thankfully, only a second later she released him and stepped back.

Max reeled for a few seconds, dumbly listening to her gush about her disbelief that they ended up in the same district. After regaining most of his composure, he spent the entirety of the half hour break talking with her and running around on the equipment, then joined her inside when they would swap grades and go to lunch.

Tuesday.

Max stared at the screen of his phone with a confused frustration. Missing?

After getting logged into the grades portal from the day previous, Max was met with a small red 'M' beside the assignment he'd brought in from homework, which apparently meant it was missing. He knew he had done it, David had watched him do it. He turned it in straight to the tray. Something was wrong.

Max stood from his seat, phone in hand. The class was working on a different worksheet after the morning's lecture and activity, so no one paid him much mind as he neared Veytroup's desk. He turned away from the laptop in front of him, peering at Max over the top of his glasses.

"You gave me a missing," Max declared before he could speak a word.

The man raised an eyebrow,"I usually do when things are not turned in."

"I turned it in though," Max had a feeling this conversation was not going to turn out civil,"I know I did."

Veytroups leaned back in his chair,"If you had turned it in, then you wouldn't have gotten a missing."

Max scowled at him, tried to clamp down on anger," _Fine_. Can I redo it then?"

"I don't take late homework,"

It was then, just before Max was really going to start letting his temper fly, that he caught a glimpse of something familiar. He looked down and there, in the trash, was a crumpled up paper with his name at the top. Fury boiled his blood.

He shoved his phone into his pocket and dropped down to grab it. Several kids saw this, as he'd been causing a bit of a scene, and started snickering. Max didn't care. He unfolded the paper and, low and behold it was _his paper_. He looked back to Veytroups with an angry glower.

Max slapped the paper down on his desk,"Change my fucking grade,"

The man gawked at him, angry to be caught and even more upset Max was swearing at him,"Go to the-"

Max jerked then, swinging his right foot back and knocking the trashcan over, littering the front row with papers and broken pencils and wrappers. He held eye contact with the man as he did it, still furious with the obvious attempt to cheat him out of the grade he deserved.

"Go to hell," He snarled, stepping past the mess to snatch up his bag from the back row and storm out to the hallway towards the office.

He went through quite the same process as before. The woman had to sign out a note for him to 'give to David', called his number while Max went to the bathroom. This time, he told her that Max could stay in class rather than have David come pick him up. He was working anyways. So Max stayed in the office, brooding, until he was finally let out to go to lunch. Once again, he met Celine outside.

After recounting the story, Celine was a little shocked,"How can a teacher even do that?"

Max shrugged, crossing his arms and leaning back against one of the supporting playground poles,"I don't know. I think he's a fucking prick."

Celine sighed, leaning against the other side as him and thinking for a few quiet moments,"Maybe you could tell someone?"

"Who are they going to believe?" Max snorted,"The teacher old as dirt who's been here for _years_ , or the snivelling asswipe that's been sent to the office twice in two weeks?"

"Fair point," Another few moments of silence,"Oh, what if you took pictures of the assignments you did?"

Max frowned, twisting to look back at her sideways,"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Celine shifted off the pole to look at him while she explained,"If you do the work and have it finished, take a picture of it with a timestamp. If he tries to mark it missing or incomplete, you can just email it to him,"

Max considered it,"He did say email was fine to turn stuff in."

Celine grinned, slinging an arm over his shoulders,"See? No trouble. Then, if David gets on your case about it and he still tries to fail you, you have pictures!"

Max pushed the bit of worry back down his throat upon being pulled close, and nodded,"Yeah. Good point."

Wednesday.

Max walked into class that day with paper- and _picture_ of his paper- in hand. Walking straight to his desk, Max made sure he was staring him in the eye as he very pointedly lay the paper into the turn in tray near the front corner of his desk. Veytroup's mouth quirked at the corner, and Max offered a brief, sneering smile before he went back to his seat. Once settled down, he went ahead to check his grades again. Low and behold, his grade was no longer marked with that awful red M, but a well-done 9/10. Max didn't care about the extra point, he got a decent enough grade and had showed Veytroups up. He sat back in his chair, rather proud of himself as he texted Celine.

Thursday.

With no incidents to report with Veytroups, Max struck up the day as decently good. He was feeling pretty good anyways, what with the appointment at the foster home coming up. He had planned it out pretty well, in any case. David hadn't mentioned anything strange, Chikae had only messaged to confirm times they were coming up. It was all going pretty well.

When it got to lunch, however, Max was quick to head outside as always to switch around his time to meet Celine. On his way out to the playground, one of the bigger kids smacked into his shoulder. He hit the ground and his palms stung like mad in the cold air, and his vision cut away to blackness.

" _Hey, shh, it's okay Max,"_

 _Max's eyes were blurry as he offered his hands to the boy in front of him. He sniffled. In the boy's hands was a wrap bandage, and on the floor was litter from other bandaids stuck to his knees. He had fallen down while doing yard work, and he was helping him clean up._

" _It's okay, it's just a little scraped up. That's all. I gotcha."_

Max flickered back to the day time, tears rolling down his face. There were snickers around him, and a shout of his name. Celine? Yeah. She came racing forward, pushing past people to help him up off the ground. She shouted some things at the people, Max didn't catch it. She guided him away.

He didn't much feel like talking. He'd gone quite a while without a flashback in the daytime. Needless to say, it left him a little shaken up. Celine cleaned off the cuts, which were very minor, with a bottle of water. They sat against the wall, hidden behind the bushes, and Max leaned his head against her shoulder. She put one side of her headphones in his ear and played them some music, singing along while he collected himself.

He was more determined, now, to find those files. The Velez had to be put in somewhere at the place, they knew enough about it to ask Max. He could go through whatever paper trail there was. He focused on his plan, letting Celine's singing carry his thoughts somewhere less panicked and worry-stricken. By lunch, he was settled and ready to eat, and got bandages from the nurse on his way to Mrs Rochette's.

Friday.

"Hey, Max? How would you feel about going to Nikki's on Tuesday for a little while?"

Max lifted his head to look at the door where David had poked inside, a worried little smile on his face. Max narrowed his eyes.

"Why?"

David's smile fell a bit,"I have to work, I won't be able to pick you up. I thought you could have them come pick you up?"

Max considered it for a moment,"Can I go to Celine's?"

David frowned at that, stepping a little further into the room while his head tilted,"Celine? From the home?"

A nod,"Yeah. Turns out she goes to my school."

"Oh!" David smiled,"Well, that would be fine with me! I need to talk to her parents, first. Can you send me their numbers? I'll set it up,"

Another nod from Max, and he turned his eyes back to his phone,"I'll send them."

"Fantastic!" David was in a much cheerier mood,"Dinner is in about twenty minutes, okay?"

Max hummed again, and David headed back down the stairs.

Saturday.

A rippling panic surged across Max's stomach as his fingers swept through the papers. Scattered across the floor were dozens of sheets of incident reports, history, priors, _everything_ except what he'd come to find. There were no specifics for children, like they had been moved or missing or somewhere entirely different that Max couldn't find. He clutched the sheets, rereading word for word, desperate to find a name, description, _something_.

He hadn't felt this crazed in a long time, so desperate for something that it felt like his heart would break through his ribs, that his throat wouldn't contain the lump settled there. His eyes burned to contrast the frost on his fingers. If he could just find it, the memories would stop. The nightmares would be easier to handle, he could _understand_ what the hell was happening in his own head. It had to be here, it had to be. It was his closest shot to finding it. It had to…

The words began to blur as water pooled on his lower lid. Max blinked to clear them, frantic. The muted sound of the door opening behind him was ignored. His name was called, he continued to read.

Hands were on him next, and Max jerked violently out of grasp, still scanning over the pages, picking up pieces on the floor and skimming.

"No," he panted,"No, _no, no_ -" His hands began to shake.

He jumped back from another reach at him, dropping the pages as he staggered back. He put all his faith into this visit. He had been so excited to get to the foster home, as soon as he managed to sneak out of view he was in the office to dig through and find the Velez files, assuming they would have to have a copy of them if they had interviewed him for it. Low and behold, they did, but it turned out to be entirely useless. The whole trip, his entire plan, _useless_.

Max didn't hear the angry scream tear off his throat until David's arms were wrapped around him. He toppled forward, onto his knees in David's lap. He was moved, but he didn't notice, he didn't care. His adversity to David was forgotten in that moment of anguish, fingers clung tightly to his jacket and muffling his broken cries against his chest. There were words spoken above him that Max couldn't make out. He was lost in his own manufactured grief.

Even if there was some logical solution, something he could have done, after putting all his chips onto this visit, Max couldn't rein it back in. He was so tired of looking and scheming and sneaking around. He was sick of the hiding, sick of the memories. He wanted peace, he just wanted to be left alone and stop having to deal with all of it. Even David, he realized, was something he missed in the day to day. It had been over a week since he started retreating from the open air David tried to create, trying to control the house and succeeding. He'd controlled _everything_ , so well. From David's view of him, to the grades at school. From the disciplinary notes to the meeting with Chikae, even the fake emails and manipulating to get his way. The hateful twist in his gut made every one of these reminders hurt more. He hated it.

The words he wailed into David's coat were formed under the weight of all that hatred, wavering on teary, choked breath," _I'm sorry!_ "

David was bewildered above him, unable to figure out exactly what was going on with Max right at that moment. He just held his boy close, nestling his cheek against his curls and rocking them both a bit while he sat in his lap. Chikae shut the door to give them a bit of privacy, and David mouthed a silent thank you his way as he went about cleaning up the papers.

"Max, there's nothing to be sorry for," He murmured softly, hands rubbing against his back,"I'm not angry with you, everything is alright,"

Max shook his head, shaking all over as he tried to argue but couldn't manage more than staggered, mumbling apologies. David just held him closer.

"Stop it, Max, hush," he instructed gently,"You just cry and get it out, it's all okay. I'm right here, no need to be sorry," He pressed a kiss to the top of his head,"You're okay, buddy, I'll stay right here. You're okay."

He repeated these encouragements for some time, and Chikae came over to sit across from David, an equally confused and concerned gaze on his face. He patted David's knee, offering a little solace in the face of Max's break down. David glanced up with a teary smile, and turned his attention back to the distraught little boy in his lap.

After about five minutes, Max was finally out of air to keep sobbing. He was sniffling, quieted down and absolutely wrecked as he trembled. He wanted to go home and sleep. David didn't bother trying to ask about what happened to upset him so bad, not when he was still so shaken up. He just scoot back a bit and stood up as best he could when Max was still holding his sleeves in a vice grip. A little thrown at his clingy behaviour, David tried to find a happy medium for both of them and stooped low, sliding his arm under Max's thighs and picking him up to lean against his chest with a little huff. He bounced him slightly to get him sitting somewhere his knees wouldn't dig against his chest, and Max was quick to tuck his face into the crook of his neck, arms wrapped over his shoulders. He may have been desperate for affection right then, but his pride was still taking a massive hit being held like a toddler. David wasn't teasing him, and Max was too strung out to be entirely bothered by anything as long as he could hide his face.

The ride home was silent over the radio, and Max went up to his room and locked the door.

Sunday.

Max didn't want to eat. He didn't want to speak to David. He didn't particularly feel like existing right about then. He stayed in his room, a fear boiling in his chest at the thought of another memory ripping over his eyes. If he was alone, if he didn't do anything, there were no triggers. He just wanted to go numb.

Around ten, David came knocking at the door. Max didn't offer a reply, and he slowly pushed the door open. Max didn't turn or move to watch him, but the door closed behind him. He didn't move close, just sat down beside Max's dresser against the wall. Tired and curious, Max lolled his head to the side. David had two bowls in his hands, and it looked like mac n cheese with little hot dog pieces. The smell hit his nose soon after he saw it, and Max's stomach growled mutely.

David lifted the bowl, still silent as he offered it to him. Max considered for a minute, and sighed. He lay back to stare at the ceiling for a few seconds before heaving himself upright and walking to David. He sat down next to him, accepting the offered bowl and fork. They ate in a comfortable silence.

When Max had cleaned his bowl, he set it on the carpet beside him. David reached over him and picked it up, putting both dishes up on the dresser top so he would remember to take them when he left. There was quiet for a little bit, and David shifted on the floor before patting his lap, looking down at Max. Max glanced at him, then his hands. He moved up, shifting over into David's lap. David moved so he could sit on the carpet between his legs, and wrapped his arms around the small boy, dropping his head to kiss his curls.

"I'm here if you want to talk," He said quietly,"And I'm here if you don't."

Max hummed, and leaned just the slightest bit back against David's chest. His thoughts stopped shouting for a little while. It was nice.

Monday.

Max went back to school and tried not to do much thinking at all. He was still upset, somewhat, it stung to put in that much effort and not have something to show for it. David had yet to figure out what he had done, or at least he hadn't mentioned it. Max was sure Chikae must have told him, they had figured it out amongst themselves. He found himself happy to worry about being in trouble with David. It felt much more manageable than the rest of his rather existential crisis as of late.

Nothing to be bothered with in Veytroups, he'd actually gotten pretty good scores so far in his classes and it definitely helped his mood out. He talked to Celine at their break time, and by the time he went home, he was feeling all around better. It may be rough, but it was manageable. He could keep going, he always kept going.

Tuesday

When the bell rang to dismiss, Max found himself a little excited. He had been looking forward to the day, even if he wouldn't admit it. The recent failure at the foster home had been quite the downer, but being able to see Celine again might cheer him up a bit. Hopefully there wasn't another freak out like at Nikki's, he really didn't need to deal with another debacle like that.

His steps had a bit of bounce as he headed out to the front lobby, wanting to hurry ahead and hopefully find his way out to the front of the crowds rather than be stuck within it and unable to see her. He caught a glimpse of her hand waving above the crowd, and he grinned, edging off to the side so she could meet him. Another hug, her arm slung over his shoulder in a one-armed gesture of excitement. Max was shorter than her by a few inches, and leaned his cheek against her shoulder, an arm around her waist to return the little was less emotional than their first meeting, and he didn't feel as constricted leaning into it. It broke after a second or two, and Max stepped back from her to look over the line of cars along the curb.

"How late is David out?" She asked, searching for her parents car in the lineup.

"He said he gets off at eight," Max replied,"So he'll probably be over to get me at like eight thirty?"

Celine said nothing more, grabbing his hand and dragging him down the line towards her parents car. Max went along with it, trying to keep from knocking into to many people as Celine carted him off down the way. Finally, they stopped beside a dark grey SUV and Celine tugged the back door open. Max followed her into the car and pulled the door shut.

In the front seat was a man with skin shaded a deep, warm tan, dark brown hair in ringlets dispersed evenly over his head. He turned his head slightly to peer into the back seat via the rearview mirror, chin and upper lip shaded with a trimmed goatee as he smiled.

"You must be Max?" He asked, moving hands over the wheel to pull away from the pickup line.

"Yessir," Max answered, unsure about the all around feeling in the family just yet.

"Oh, just call me Desmond, no need for any of that," He assured,"Good day at school?"

Celine sat up, seatbelt clicking into place at her hip;Max followed suit,"Oh yeah! Mrs. Rowans gave us a project already, and it's a drawing thing!"

Max settled into the car, toe tapping on the floor mats as he tried to settle himself down. At least, as far as he could tell, there wasn't any serious type of strictness in the household, which was nice to know. He wasn't in any danger yet of being yelled at. He listened to Celine talk about her day at school, chiming in when the conversation shifted towards him and was otherwise satisfied just remaining quiet. It was a decent drive back to the house, near twenty minutes, but Max was much calmer by the time they got there.

Once inside, he was ushered past a well-kept garden dusted by the day's snow into the house and up the stairs. Desmond called up to leave the door open to her room, and Celine obeyed, focused on showing Max around. She had books galore, a computer, clothes, everything she could ask for, it would seem. Max could say the same for his own place, but it was not nearly as extravagant. He briefly wondered how they managed to overcompensate, but was quickly answered when Celine said her new mother, Roriann, was a doctor. Celine said she would be home later with her brother Toby, he had the day off for an appointment at the office she worked for scheduled later on in the day.

Desmond had started dinner and was nearly finished when he called the two of them down to set up the table. Max did what he could to help, glancing out the window in the front to see snow falling against a dark sky. A little while after five, Max was feeling rather at ease.

Celine was happy in her new home, there was no question to that. She was settled in nicely, Desmond seemed to be a real nice guy even with his overwhelming love of cheesy jokes, and he was not a bad cook either. From what Max heard, Toby was a pretty cool guy, and her mom was loving even if the stricter one in the house. The week had been awful in some ways, fantastic in others, and just an all around roller coaster. Even with the disappointment of not finding the boy in his memory, Max was beginning to lose care for the whole thing in that moment. He had a close friend, a safe place, and good food. It was really nice just to settle there.

And then, quite suddenly, the world around him began to crash.

First, the car door outside. Max paid no mind, assuming it was just the rest of the family getting home. He went about helping in the kitchen. But then, the laugh, as Max was setting down plates, sent spikes through his veins and a chill up his spine. He knew that sound. He fought off the blackness of a memory, paralyzed for a moment. Celine glanced his way as he stood stock still, asking against fuzzy ears if he was alright. The plate clattered down onto the table, and Max whipped round to the door, straining his ears for the sound again.

Once more, it crept across the suddenly frozen air into his head. Max took off, veering haphazardly around the corner and to the front door. He frantically scrambled to open it, throwing it aside and stepping out in his thin jacket amidst the chilly air. His movements caught the attention of the two who had just arrived home. Max barely sent the taller woman a glance, eyes glued intensely to the boy beside her.

Vivid flashbacks ripped across his eyes, pinning the boy's smeared and uncertain facial features together and forming the older version that stood before him right then. He had not changed more than a slight slimming of his features, and his hair was cut differently. The boy from his memories finally had a face, a home, a _name_.

Ice coated Max's throat. His face burned from the chilly wind, tears stinging behind his eyes. Celine was calling his name behind him, the shine from the open door highlighting the back of his hair and coating the boy in front of him in a tinged yellow light. Even through the bright haze, Max saw him. The green eyes, a fleck of brown touching the bottom left of his iris. His smile that accompanied his earlier laugh was no longer there, replaced by stunned silence, shock. He had very clearly never expected to see Max again. Max stared at him, emotions swimming across his face, unsure what to settle on.

After the last week and a half of searching, lying, and sneaking around to find him, there he was. So close after so many days of distanced fear and confusion. If the eyes somehow was a mistake, or the laugh that had drawn him to the door in the first place was some strange coincidence, Max could not mistake that flicker of fear on his face. He knew exactly who Max was. He knew what had been done. Max's vision blacked.

" _Max, please-"_

" _No!" Max's face was contorted, tears rolling down an angry expression of betrayal,"You said we were in this together, you said you would stay!"_

 _Toby only ignored him, stuffing the duffel bag on the bed full. He rushed around the room, gathering things up quickly. He hadn't meant for Max to wake up while he was packing. He wanted to slip away, unnoticed. That wasn't the case._

" _Take me with you," Max demanded, pushing the covers off of himself to clamour out of bed and start gathering things up._

 _Toby turned to him then, panic in his eyes,"Max, no- there's no time," He yanked the zipper shut on his bag and stepped over to the window,"They're gonna be home any second, you're too little-"_

" _Take me with you!" Max's words reflected the panic on his face as he ran to try and grab the bag back from his hands,"You can't leave, don't leave me here-!"_

 _He felt the solid floor beneath him next, and a blossoming pain on his cheek. Toby swung at him, knocked him to the ground. He was horrified, hand still clenched in a fist as he backed away, emerald eyes shimmering with tears._

" _I have to go, it's my only chance." He whispered,"I'll send people back here, I swear,"_

 _Max just stared, watching him climb out the window out to the tree branches leaned against it. Cold air from outside swept over his skin, turning the streaks of wet on his face into frost. He stayed there for a minute or so, shaking and afraid. The people might come, but they would just ignore everything like last time. But now, Max was alone._

 _He climbed into bed when he could manage to move his legs, hiding under the blanket and rocking slowly, trying to calm himself down. Toby was gone. His only friend in the whole world has just left him behind, left him to those… animals._

Max stared at him, flickering back to life only a few seconds later. His name was said by the strangers around, but he only saw Toby. Saw the boy who had abandoned him, who had left him to face the world alone and broken his promise. He spent another year in that hellhole, barely surviving some days. For so long, it looked like the whole world wanted him dead. But he'd managed to get where he was today. Toby looked like he hadn't expected to see him again in his life, let alone living, breathing, and right in front of him. Max had managed to beat every attempt at his life thus far and, even despite the odds;

He was _Still Here_.


End file.
